Repair work disrupts traffic movement on Sgr-Jmu NH

Ramban, Mar 12: Vehicular traffic movement on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was again disrupted due to the road repair works and single-lane road at Dalwass on Tuesday.

Officials said, “Vehicular traffic movement was disrupted on Tuesday for a few hours due to road repair works at Dalwass, however, it was restored in the afternoon. Meanwhile, massive traffic congestion was witnessed between Chenani and Ramban, due to single-lane and poor road surface conditions.”

Traffic authorities said, “Due to road repair work at Dalwass on both sides, vehicular traffic movement was stopped for a few hours. Traffic was stopped at around 9 am for removing mud, slush and repairing a slippery potholed stretch at Dalwass by the road maintenance agency, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).  The highway was restored after road repair work was finished in the afternoon.”

“Due to the blockade of the road at Dalwass, hundreds of Kashmir-bound passenger vehicles and load carriers remained stranded in long queues between Dalwass and Chenani in Udhampur,” they said. “After completing road repair work at Dalwass, the highway was reopened for traffic this afternoon.

Traffic is moving towards Kashmir at a slow pace due to the single lane road stretch at Dalwass, Mehar, cafeteria, Trushul Morh, Hingni-Ramsu, Kishtwari Pathar, Gangroo and other places between Nashri and Banihal sector of the highway,” they said.

However, they advised commuters and vehicle operators not to undertake journeys on the highway, without confirming the status of the road from concerned Traffic Units in Srinagar, Jammu, Udhampur and Ramban on Wednesday.

Vehicles are plying on a one-way basis between the two capital cities, Jammu and Srinagar, due to single-lane road stretches at various places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels.

Later in the evening, Traffic Police Department officers said that subject to fair weather and road conditions, only one-way traffic would be allowed from Qazigund in Kashmir towards Jammu on Wednesday.

Officials at TCU Ramban, late Tuesday evening, said, “The highway is open and vehicles are heading towards Kashmir and Jammu in a regulated manner.” Meanwhile, locals and commuters have demanded blacktopping of the damaged portion of road stretch at Dalwass.