Traffic restored on Sgr-Jmu NH after repairs

Ramban: The two-way vehicular traffic on the Srinagar Jammu National Highway was restored after men and machinery of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) completed the road widening, repair works early Monday morning.

Officials said, “A 24-hour traffic dry-day was observed on the directions of the government to enable NHAI to carry out necessary road repair works at Dalwass and other places between Nashri and Banihal on Sunday.”

The NHAI carried out excavation work to widen the damaged road stretch at Dalwass near Nashri tunnel and various other places.

After working round the clock, road repair work was completed and traffic resumed on the highway this morning, they stated.

Officials said, “Stranded vehicles were cleared on priority. Later, traffic from Srinagar to Jammu and vice versa was allowed to ply on the highway.”

Earlier on Sunday night, Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mussarat Islam, SSP Traffic National Highway Rohit Baskotra, Project Director NHAI, Purshotam Kumar, and other officers monitored road repair and restoration works at Dalwass and other places.

“After the resumption of traffic in the morning, hundreds of vehicles crossed the Nashri and Banihal tunnels during the day,” officials said.

Baskotra said, “Traffic was bumper to bumper after restoration of the highway.” He advised all vehicle operators to observe lane discipline as large numbers of heavy vehicles with nomadic deras were also travelling on NH-44. Light Motor Vehicles and commuters have been asked to avoid night travel to evade nomadic movement.

DC Mussarat Islam said, “The movement of vehicles at the challenging Dalwass sections of the highway continues.”

He advised drivers and commuters not to overtake at this critical stretch.

Due to a traffic dry day on Sunday, a huge traffic was witnessed on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway today.

Traffic officials in Ramban said that due to single-lane road stretches; and movement of nomadic families with livestock, slow traffic movement was observed at various places.

Officials said that the highway was open for two-way traffic, however, they advised vehicle operators and commuters not to undertake journeys on the highway without confirming the status of the road.