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Amarnath Yatra: Traffic movement resumes on Jammu-Srinagar national highway
Following overnight rains that triggered fresh landslides, the highway was blocked at multiple places in Ramban district and movement of the Kashmir bound pilgrims was briefly disrupted in the morning
Over 6,000 Amarnath pilgrims left Ramban district for Kashmir after the traffic movement on 270- km long Jammu-Srinagar national highway resumed on Friday morning, said officials.
Following overnight rains that triggered fresh landslides, the highway was blocked at multiple places in Ramban district and the movement of the Kashmir bound pilgrims was briefly disrupted in the morning.
“The vehicular traffic Jammu -Srinagar highway was disrupted since 1am on Friday due to landslides and shooting stones at multiple places. However, the NHAI cleared the debris from all the affected stretches and the traffic was restored this morning around 10 am,” said an official.
Also read: Jammu-Srinagar National Highway closed for traffic due to tunnel repair
“As conveyed by NHAI, vehicular traffic was restored on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (now NH-44) after road clearance in Ramban district following heavy overnight rains,” said Massrat-ul-Islam, deputy magistrate of Ramban district.
Ramban is 121 kms from Jammu City.
Additional deputy magistrate of Ramban district, Harbans Lal Sharma, who is the nodal officer for Amarnath Yatra, said, “There were heavy rains last night and as a result the highway was blocked at multiple places but the clearance work was taken up immediately. Around 4,000 Pahalgam bound pilgrims and around 2,100 Baltal bound pilgrims, who left Jammu early this morning, left Yatri Niwas camp in Chanderkote and Nashri respectively for Kashmir.”
Meanwhile, a 55-year-old man died due to a landslide in Mandi area of Poonch district.
The deceased was identified as Abdul Karim, son of Aakka, of Bandi Qamakhan in Mandi tehsil.
“A landslide hit his house during heavy rains late last night. The man died in it,” a policeman at Poonch police control room said.
He also informed that Bufliaz-Dera Ki Gali road was also blocked due to a landslide, which disrupted traffic movement.
