Srinagar-Jammu National Highway | Traffic movement disrupted for over 2 hours in Ramban

Ramban, Dec 11: The vehicular traffic movement was disrupted due to intermittent triggering of rolling stones on the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch of Ramban on the Srinagar- Jammu National Highway on Monday

Official sources said vehicular traffic movement on the highway was halted at around 7. 30 am due to the triggering of shooting stones on the Mehad –Cafeteria Morh stretch. After the blockade of the road both side traffic was stopped at safer places.

They said later men and machinery of the concerned agency NHAI were summoned to clear the accumulated stones and debris from the road. Traffic authorities said the Jammu Srinagar National Highway remained blocked for two hours and 40 minutes due to shooting stones at Mehar-Cafeteria, Ramban.

SSP Traffic National Highway Ramban Rohit Baskotra said that vehicular traffic was restored at 10 am.

Traffic Officials in Ramban said despite the intermittent triggering of rolling stones at Mehar, Ramban the highway remained open for two-way traffic for light motor and heavy vehicles. But the traffic movement remained slow at Dalwass, Mehar-Cafeteria, Magarkote, Nachlana due to single lane road, poor road surface conditions between Nashri and Banihal.

They said hundreds of private cars, passenger light-medium and heavy vehicles plied towards respective destinations in Srinagar and Jammu.

Drivers and commuters who crossed the Mehar- Ramban stretch informed that stones are still rolling from the hillock there and that the stretch is risky.

Officials said that intermittent shooting stones continue to disturb traffic on the highway and that they are on the job to streamline and clear the traffic. Till the filing of this report intermittent rolling stones are hindering the smooth flow of traffic on the Mehad-Cafeteria stretch of Ramban and vehicles are being allowed to cross one by one. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir traffic police department issued a fresh advisory for Tuesday stating that subject to fair weather and good road conditions private cars, passenger light medium and heavy vehicles would be allowed to ply on either side of Jammu Srinagar National Highway.

Passenger light vehicle operators are advised to prefer journeys on the Jammu Srinagar Highway only during the daytime and avoid journeys during night hours as there is apprehension of shooting stones between Ramban and Banihal.