Srinagar-Jammu National Highway open

Ramban: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and one-way traffic of Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) for Jammu on Monday.

However, the traffic authorities said that during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm on Monday, the highway remained blocked for 1 hour and 50 minutes.

They said that the highway remained blocked due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel and for filling of potholes at Mehar and Panthyal.

The traffic authorities said that the movement of traffic remained slow at various places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels due to the breakdown of four HMVs.

Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic in Ramban said hundreds of LMVs plied on either side of the highway.

They said HMVs released from Qazigund, Kashmir after two days crossed the Banihal-Ramban sector of the highway towards Jammu and other respective destinations in a regulated manner.

Meanwhile, J&K Traffic Department issued a fresh advisory for Tuesday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance, LMVs would be allowed to move on either side of the highway while HMVs would be allowed from Jakhani, Udhampur towards Srinagar after the tail of Jammu-bound HMVs crosses the Chenani-Nashri tunnel on Tuesday morning.

Traffic Control Unit (TCU) Udhampur has been asked to liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the HMVs on Tuesday morning.

The cut-off timings have been fixed from 8 am to 11 am from Nagrota, Jammu, and from 9 am to 12 pm from Jakhani, Udhampur for Srinagar-bound LMVs.

The cut-off timings for Jammu-bound LMVs have been fixed from 9 am to 11 am from Qazigund, Kashmir on Tuesday.

People have been advised not to undertake journeys on the highway without confirming the status of the road from TCU Jammu, TCU Srinagar, and TCU Ramban as the MeT Department predicted heavy rain and snowfall for the next few days stating that there were chances of blockade of the highway.

Security forces have been advised not to ply against the advisory because of the narrow carriageways between Nashri and Banihal.