Srinagar-Jammu NH to remain shut for 14 hours for repairs

Ramban, Mar 8: Vehicular traffic movement on Srinagar Jammu National Highway will remain suspended for 14 hours from Saturday night, for carrying out road widening and maintenance works at Dalwass and other places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels.

The highway will be shut from 10 pm on Saturday up to 12 pm on Sunday. “The traffic movement will be stopped at 5 pm on Saturday from Qazigund in Kashmir and Nagrota in Jammu,” traffic authorities said.

“In the wake of scheduled suspension of traffic, the commuters and vehicle operators are advised to plan their journeys accordingly and prefer journeys on Srinagar Jammu National Highway during day time on Saturday,” they added.

“No vehicular traffic shall be allowed from Qazigund towards Jammu and from Nagrota towards Kashmir after 5 pm on Saturday on Srinagar Jammu National Highway. Traffic movement will remain suspended from 10 pm on Saturday up to Sunday noon, for road widening and repair works at Dalwass and at other places between the Nashri and Banihal tunnels in Ramban district,” traffic officials said.

To this effect an order was issued by the District Magistrate, Ramban’s office vide order no ADMR/2234-45 dated March 8, 2024. It said that a communication was received from Project Director NHAI, PIU Ramban vide no NHAI/PIU- Ramban/2023-24/11001/10011 dated March 8,2024 seeking haltage of traffic on NH-44 for widening at Dalwass and other locations from Nashri to Banihal tunnels.

“To ensure the safety and well-being of the general populace, travellers, drivers, a sanction is hereby granted in favour of NHAI, PIU Ramban, for taking 14 hours traffic haltage from 10 pm on March 9, 2024 to 12 noon on March 10, 2024 for widening of the carriageway to 2-lanes at Dalwass. During haltage, the widening at other places will also be taken up for restoration from Nashri to Banihal,” the order read.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Ramban and Senior Superintendent of Traffic Police, National Highway Ramban were asked to implement the orders in letter and spirit.

Earlier vehicular traffic movement remained disrupted for two hours during the day due to road repair works at Dalwass on Friday also due to which commuters and vehicle operators remained stranded in long queues for hours.

Traffic officials, late Friday evening, said, “Traffic is being cleared on a one-way basis at Dalwass.”

Later in the evening, the Traffic Police department issued an advisory for Saturday stating that no vehicular traffic would be allowed from Qazigund-Kashmir towards Jammu and from Nagrota-Jammu towards Kashmir after Saturday at 5 pm on the Srinagar Jammu National Highway.

“Because of the widening of the carriageway into two-lane at Dalwass and other places between Nashri and Banihal, vehicular traffic movement from Jammu to Ramban, Gool, Banihal, Srinagar and vice versa shall remain suspended. People are advised to plan their journey accordingly,” the advisory read.