E-Paper
Jammu-Srinagar highway blocked at Ramban, nearly 500 vehicles stranded
Ramban SSP Mohita Sharma said heavy landslide continued at Shalgadi in Banihal, causing dire situation on the national highway; added that people are advised to avoid travelling on Jammu-Srinagar highway
Traffic movement on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was suspended Tuesday after a landslide in Ramban district, officials said.
The landslide struck the highway at Sher Bibi near Banihal in the afternoon, leaving nearly 500 vehicles stranded.
Deputy superintendent of police (traffic), Asghar Malik, said, “Despite shooting stones, a major part of the debris has already been cleared.”
He said no fresh traffic movement was allowed from Srinagar side this morning.
A traffic department official in Jammu said,“We have allowed light motor vehicles in the morning but after getting information about continuous shooting stones, the traffic was stopped for the time being”.
Ramban SSP Mohita Sharma said, “Heavy landslide continued at Shalgadi in Banihal, causing dire situation on the national highway today. People are advised to avoid travelling on the highway.”
Another police officer at the traffic control room in Ramban said, “The NHAI had pressed its men and machinery and it was almost cleared when a massive landslide occurred around 3pm at the same spot, completely blocking the stretch.”
“At least 60 Jammu-bound light motor vehicles were stranded at Qazigund,” he added.
The 247km-long highway is the only all-weather surface link that connects Kashmir with the rest of the country.
Chief secy for reducing travel time on highway
J&K chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta on Tuesday told the traffic police that in no case should travel time between the Srinagar and Jammu exceed beyond seven hours on any day for light motor vehicles.
Mehta asked the traffic authorities to submit daily reports about the actual time taken to reach from one city to another. He told them to enhance their personnel strength on all the damaged portions of the road for better traffic management.
He urged them not to let the traffic come to halt due to any of the hindrance. Mehta asked them to improve the road surface damaged due to weather vagaries at all costs for smooth movement of the vehicles on this road.
He said there should be zero tolerance towards roadside parking which hinders the traffic flow.
He also took stock of the construction works on different projects presently under progress. Mehta asked the authorities to ensure that T5 tunnel on Panthyal stretch of the highway is opened by March 15, Jaiswal bridge by March 31, and double lane of Ramban flyover and Banihal bypass by April 15.
He advised them to accelerate the pace of work to meet these deadlines without any fail. Mehta also asked the secretary, transport, and IG (traffic) to drive down this road to have better idea about the measures to be taken for making the road better and safe.
