Traffic on Jammu-Srinagar highway restored partially
Over 2,000 heavy vehicles stuck, to be allowed after clearing passenger vehicles; mishap victim’s body found from Suran river; helicopter service to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine resumes
With partial restoration of the 250-km long Jammu-Srinagar national highway (NH-44), traffic movement of passenger vehicles was allowed on Saturday afternoon, officials said. The highway, the only all-weather surface link that connects Kashmir with the rest of the country, was closed for traffic on Thursday following multiple landslides, mudslides and slush in Ramban district.
SSP (NH traffic) Rohit Baskotra said the men and machinery were at work to restore the affected stretches at Mehar, Dalwas, Peerah, T2 tunnel, Kishtwar Pathar and Mom Passing. “There are 10 big landslides where machines have been pressed into service to remove the debris,” he said.
The SSP informed that the majority of the affected stretches have been restored partially where one-way traffic is being allowed. He also informed that around 2,000 heavy motor vehicles were left stranded on Qazigund side of Kashmir and Udhampur side of Jammu.
“Passenger vehicles are being allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar and vice versa. Commuters are advised to follow lane discipline because overtaking will cause congestion. Passengers are also advised to undertake journey on the Jammu-Srinagar highway during day time and avoid unnecessary stopovers between Ramban and Banihal as there is apprehension of landslides and shooting stones,” he added. The SSP informed that heavy motor vehicles shall be allowed later after assessment of the road condition.
Earlier, Ramban district commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary, along with Ramban SSP Kulbir Singh and SSP (traffic) Rohit Baskotra, inspected the restoration work on the NH-44 from Ramban to Banihal. Necessary directives were passed to ensure swift clearance and smooth traffic movement.
A massive landslide has also blocked Kishtwar-Padder road since Friday. “It’s a big landslide and it is likely to take to three to four days for the men and machinery to clear the debris,” said Kishtwar district commissioner Rajesh Kumar Shavan.
He also informed that there was an avalanche at Garh area but there was no loss of life and damage to the property.
In Poonch district, the police recovered body of a woman, who was swept away in swollen Suran river on Thursday. She was among the 10 persons in a vehicle that skidded and plunged into the river near Kalai bridge in Poonch. While seven were rescued, three had gone missing. The deceased has been identified as Shaheena Akhter, wife of Karamat Hussain of Manjakote. The body was retrieved from the river near Dingla.
Earlier, a man was swept away with two other members of his family, including a two-day-old infant on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the helicopter service to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, which was suspended amid inclement weather on Thursday, was resumed following improvement in the weather on Saturday.
