Sgr-Jmu NH, Sgr-Leh NH shut; Mughal Road partially open

Ramban / Ganderbal/ Rajouri, Sep 6: The Srinagar-Jammu National remained blocked for the fifth consecutive day at Tharad Udhampur on Saturday.

Officials said that the road restoration work was disrupted for a few hours due to a fresh spell of rain during the day.

However, it was again resumed after the rain had stopped in the evening.

They said the highway restoration work was going on full swing for this purpose with around one dozen earth movers, JCB machines, rock breakers, toppers, and machinery pressed into service by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at Tharad village of Udhampur district.

Official sources said the road restoration work sped up on Thursday morning by conducting blasting on huge boulders and rocks for making a road on a damaged portion of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in Tharad.

While the Nashri to Banihal stretch of the highway was partially opened for traffic movement on Thursday, the Chenani to Udhampur road stretch is still blocked, and road restoration work is going on round-the-clock.

Senior Superintendent of Traffic Police, Headquarters, Ramban, Raja Adil Hamid said the road restoration work was going on round-the-clock at Tharad in Udhampur and other locations.

Meanwhile, fresh fruit and vegetable shortages hit Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Banihal, Kud, Sudhmahadev, Patnitop, and Chenani.

Shopkeepers of Ramban district said that the situation had risen due to the prolonged road blocked between Udhampur and Chenani.

Meanwhile, the vehicular movement on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway was suspended on Saturday following landslides at multiple locations along the Zojila stretch.

Officials said that a brief, intense spell of rain on Thursday afternoon triggered flash floods and landslides along the Baltal-Zojila stretch of the highway, resulting in its closure.

They said that no vehicle was being allowed to move from TCP Sonamarg towards Kargil.

Officials said that the restoration work had started and the debris on the road was being cleared.

Commuters have been advised to follow traffic advisories and avoid unnecessary travel on the route till further notice.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ganderbal, Khalil Poswal, said that heavy rainfall occurred in the Zojilla sector for a short duration and no damage had occurred.

The Mughal Road, connecting the Pir Panjal region with Kashmir, remained open for vehicular traffic on Saturday, providing much-needed relief to commuters and transporters at a time when the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway is lying closed from the last 10 days.

According to officials, Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) were allowed to ply from both sides, while heavy vehicles were permitted to move only from the Rajouri side towards Kashmir.

Trucks carrying essential commodities, including LPG cylinders, petroleum products, eatables, and livestock including goats and sheep brought from Rajasthan, were among the heavy vehicles cleared for movement.

“This ensured smooth supply of essentials to Kashmir,” officials said.

The Mughal Road, considered a vital alternative link to the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, has been witnessing intermittent disruptions due to inclement weather and landslides in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, the diversion of traffic between Srinagar and Jammu through the Mughal Road has led to heavy congestion along the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway, causing delays in the travel of commuters.

Vehicles traveling towards Kashmir are moving through Rajouri and Poonch before connecting to the Mughal Road, resulting in increased load on the highway.

The entire traffic to Kashmir has been diverted from the Mughal Road due to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway for the past 10 days.

Officials said that the rush has made travel more time-consuming, with frequent bottlenecks emerging along the highway in Rajouri and Poonch.

District Traffic Inspector (DTI) Nowshera-Sunderbani, Manzoor Kohli, said traffic personnel, assisted by local Police, were working round-the-clock to regulate the flow.

“Some stretches of the highway are witnessing recurring congestion due to ongoing road upgradation work, and our focus remains on easing movement at these critical points,” he said.

Authorities have appealed to commuters to cooperate with ground staff and follow traffic advisories to ensure smoother regulation.