Srinagar Jammu NH witnesses sluggish vehicular movement

Ramban, Nov 25: The Srinagar–Jammu National Highway (NH-44) remained open for two-way movement of light, medium and heavy vehicles on Tuesday, traffic authorities said.

In a fresh advisory issued for Wednesday, the Traffic department announced that, subject to fair weather and road conditions, the highway would continue to stay open for all categories of vehicles.

Officials monitoring traffic along the corridor said that although the road remained open throughout the day, vehicle movement was slow at several stretches — including Balli Nullah, Dewal, Nashri–Dalwas, Maroog and Kishtwari Pather between Udhampur and Banihal — mainly due to single-lane traffic at multiple points. The breakdown of several heavy vehicles further added to the congestion.

Despite the sluggish flow, hundreds of vehicles crossed the Chenani–Nashri and Banihal–Qazigund (Navyug) tunnels till late Tuesday evening, officials added.

Authorities have advised operators of light motor vehicles and private car owners to plan their journeys during daylight hours, cautioning that night travel may be inconvenient due to the movement of heavy vehicles between the two major tunnels.

The advisory also stressed the importance of lane discipline, adherence to traffic regulations and avoiding overtaking or driving on the wrong side — violations that often trigger traffic bottlenecks.

Travellers have been urged to follow the latest traffic updates before starting their journey.

It may be noted that road and tunnel construction work under the four-laning project is still underway at several points between Ramban and Banihal, continuing to impact free flow of traffic movement on the highway.