DC asks NHAI to ensure smooth traffic flow during ensuing fruit season

Ramban, Aug 2: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ramban Mussarat Islam Wednesday asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to properly maintain the road at critical and other identified spots to avoid traffic congestion and ensure free flow of vehicular movement on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, especially during the ensuing fruit season.

Meanwhile, the highway remained open for two-way traffic of vehicles carrying Amarnath Yatris and tourists, and passenger Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and one-way traffic of Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) for Jammu on Wednesday.

However, officials said that the movement of traffic on the highway remained slow due to the breakdown of a few HMVs and single-lane road stretches at Dalwass and Mehar-Cafeteria besides some other places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels.

Due to the dilapidated condition of the highway at Dalwass near Nashri, Mehar-Cafeteria, Ramban, Seri, Tunnel T-2 Maroog and at other construction sites, the vehicles crossed at a slow pace.

The breakdown of HMVs on these stretches is a common phenomenon.

Meanwhile, DC Ramban Mussarat Islam discussed the issue of traffic congestion at vulnerable places with SSP Traffic National Highway Ramban, Rohit Baskotra; Project Director NHAI, PIU, Udhampur and Ramban, and engineers of concessionaire companies.

They discussed the issue of the slow movement of traffic at Dalwass and at other places, the suggestions were given by the SSP Traffic.

“Following it, the DC directed the executing agency to maintain the road at critical and other identified spots to avoid traffic congestion and also to ensure free flow of vehicular movement on the highway, especially during the ensuing fruit season,” an official statement said.

The traffic officials said that despite slow movement, hundreds of LMVs plied on either side of the highway without any interruption during the day.

They said that HMVs released from Qazigund in Kashmir headed towards Jammu in a regulated manner.

Meanwhile, the J&K Traffic Department issued a fresh advisory for Thursday stating that subject to fair weather and good road conditions, vehicles ferrying Amarnath Yatris and tourists, and LMVs would be allowed to ply on both sides of the highway.

They said that after assessing the road and traffic situation, HMVs would be allowed from Jakhani-Udhampur towards Kashmir on Thursday.