Sgr-Jmu NH re-opens after 12 hours

Ramban, Apr 8: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway reopened for traffic on Monday after having remained blocked for around 12 hours due to a massive landslide at Khooni Nullah bridge.

Traffic authorities said that heavy boulders, landslides and shooting stones blocked the road at Khooni Nullah around Sunday midnight.

They said due to the blockade of the road, hundreds of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and heavy vehicles remained stranded at different locations.

“Road restoration work was not started immediately due to apprehensions of shooting stones from the hillock at Khooni Nullah bridge on Sunday night,” officials said.

They said that the concerned road maintenance agency National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Monday morning summoned its men and machinery to clear the heavy boulders, landslides and stones from the road.

“The highway was partially restored at around 11.30 am. Stranded traffic was cleared on priority. After clearing stranded road traffic, scheduled traffic was allowed to ply on both sides of the highway,” they said.

Traffic officials at Traffic Control Unit (TCU) Ramban said, “The highway is open for two-way traffic. However, vehicle operators are advised to follow lane discipline. Overtaking will lead to traffic congestion due to single-lane roads and poor surface conditions at many places between Nashri and Banihal.”