Hingni Hangover | Sgr-Jmu NH open amidst heavy traffic jam in Ramsu

Ramban, Dec 23: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open but the Hingni area of the Ramsu between the Ramban and Banihal sector of the highway witnessed heavy traffic congestion on Saturday.

As a result of traffic congestion due to the single-lane road stretch at Hingni, vehicles were seen moving at a slow pace between Ramsu and Banihal sectors on the highway.

Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic at Hingni, Ramsu said that traffic was being cleared on a one-way basis.

The traffic authorities said that due to the single-lane road stretch at Hingni, Ramsu, traffic remained slow and commuters were advised to follow lane discipline to avoid inconvenience.

The traffic authorities said that the slow movement on the highway was observed due to the breakdown of four heavy vehicles, poor surface condition of the road at Dalwass, and single-lane traffic at Cafeteria-Mehar, Magerkote, and Nachlana between Nashri and Banihal tunnels.

The drivers and commuters complained that there were several single-lane road stretches where only one heavy vehicle could pass at a time.

They said sometimes both sides of the vehicles attempted to cross these narrow single-lane road stretches which led to traffic congestion.

On Thursday and Friday, night vehicular traffic remained suspended for six hours from 12 am to 6 am to facilitate contractor companies of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to carry out some emergent nature of construction work.

Meanwhile, the Traffic Department issued an advisory for Sunday stating that subject to fair weather and good road conditions, Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and heavy vehicles would be allowed to ply on either side of the highway.

However, commuter and passenger vehicle operators have been advised to prefer journeys only during the day and avoid journeys during the night hours due to apprehensions of shooting stones between the Ramban and Banihal sectors on the highway.