Multiple landslides block Srinagar-Jammu NH

Ramban, Apr 29:  The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained blocked for every type of traffic movement due to multiple landslides, triggered by heavy rains, at various places between Banihal and Nashri in the Ramban district on Monday morning.

Traffic authorities said, “Following constant rain, fresh mud, landslides and shooting stones hit the National Highway at many places between Nashri and Banihal due to which it (Highway) remained blocked.”

Due to the blockade, hundreds of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and heavy vehicles remained stranded at different locations between Jammu and Srinagar, including Nashri and Banihal sectors.

Incessant rains, which lashed the area during the intervening night of April 28 and 29, triggered fresh mud and landslides at Mehar Cafeteria, Mompassi, Ramsu, Kishtwari-Pathar and various other places, in addition to Panthial, resulting in a blockade of the highway.

“The movement of vehicular traffic has been stopped since Monday morning. There is no chance of restoration today,” officials said.

Mud and landslides besides boulders and shooting stones at various places on the highway was hampering road restoration work, they said.

“Men and machinery have been pressed into service for clearing the mud and landslides’ debris, boulders and stones from the highway but continuous rain is hampering road restoration work,” they said.

Overnight heavy rains have created havoc on the highway at various places between Nashri-Ramban and Ramban-Banihal, damaging roads due to which Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country, on the second consecutive day on Monday.

Two sub divisions - Banihal, Ramsu also remained cut off from district headquarter Ramban.

Some passengers preferred to walk on foot to reach their destinations as the movement of the traffic was strictly stopped by the traffic police on the highway and no vehicle was being allowed to cross Police Naka established in the outskirts of Ramban town by the administration.

“We have stopped all types of vehicular traffic as fresh landslides have occurred on the highway at various places between Nahri and Banihal. Shooting stones are rolling down from hillocks on the highway and continuous downpour in the area since Sunday is hampering the road restoration work,” traffic officials said.

The Nashri to Banihal stretch has become prone to landslides and the contractor companies are unable to meet the challenges posed by nature due to unplanned and random earth cutting and excavation in this sector, a few years back.