Srinagar-Jammu National Highway reopens for traffic

Ramban, Apr 20: Srinagar Jammu National Highway (NH-44) reopened Saturday afternoon, after having remained blocked for several hours at three different locations between Nashri and Banihal sectors since Friday.

Officials said, “Following heavy rain on Friday morning, landslides and shooting stones at the Kishtwari-Pathar area of Banihal blocked the National Highway. It was reopened for standard traffic Friday afternoon after six hours.”

“Fresh spell of rain triggering landslides and shooting stones at Kishtwari-Pathar, Gangroo, Mehar-Cafeteria and Dalwass again blocked the road on Friday evening. After improvement in weather on Saturday morning, road restoration work was started by the contractor companies of NHAI. NH-44 was restored for stranded vehicles on Saturday afternoon around 2.30 pm,” they said.

Officials said that stranded vehicles were allowed to move to their respective destinations on priority. Later, scheduled traffic was also allowed to ply on both sides of the National Highway on Saturday evening.

“Heavy load carriers, carrying essential commodities for Kashmir, are heading towards their destination in a regulated manner. Earlier due to blocked NH, hundreds of vehicles, especially load carriers, remained stranded at various locations between Jammu and Srinagar,” officials said.

The officials at Traffic Control Unit Ramban Saturday evening said, “NH-44 is open for two-way traffic of passenger Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs). Heavy vehicles are also being cleared in a regulated manner.”

Meanwhile, traffic authorities again advised vehicle operators and commuters to prefer journeys on the NH only during day time, due to apprehensions of shooting stones between Ramban and Banihal.