E-Paper
Jammu-Srinagar highway remains blocked for 4th day after landslides due to rains
The men and machinery are working round the clock and we expect to partially restore the Jammu-Srinagar national highway for one way traffic in another two to three hours, police said.
The 270 km-long Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all-weather surface link that connects Kashmir with the outside world, remained closed for the fourth consecutive day on Friday due to landslides triggered by heavy rains in the area.
“Jammu-Srinagar national highway (NH44) remained closed for traffic on fourth straight day at Samroli in Udhampur where a hill has collapsed and blocked around 350 meters of the stretch. The men and machinery are working round the clock and we expect to partially restore the stretch for one way traffic in another two to three hours,” said a police officer from Udhampur.
Udhampur SSP, Vinod Kumar said, “The highway is still closed in Samroli but we are hopeful of restoring it by Friday evening. The restoration work is on.”
However, around 6.30pm, the first trial run was conducted with a few vehicles being allowed to move slowly on the stretch towards Jammu.
Similarly, T2 Tunnel in Ramban district remained blocked on Friday.
However, authorities have restored the old road to use it as a stopgap arrangement and have cleared all the Valley-bound vehicles that were stuck between Ramban and Banihal.
Officials said that the agencies have stepped up efforts to restore traffic by blasting boulders.
Ramban deputy magistrate Mussarat Islam said, “In Ramban district, the NH 44 is all green except T2 tunnel where mudslides and slush accumulated on the intervening night of June 21 and 22. We are confirming reports that on June 21-22, when the region received heavy rainfall, there might have been a cloudburst in the upper reaches that inundated Battery Chashma, Kela Morh and T2 tunnel. The slush we saw on these stretches the next day indicated that some sort of cloudburst might have taken place. We are still ascertaining.”
“Except T2 tunnel, the entire NH 44 in Ramban district is now green. We are by-passing T2 tunnel to clear the Valley-bound vehicles. We had an old alignment road next to T2 tunnel. It is also not in good condition but we are restoring it to clear stranded vehicles,” he added.
Meanwhile, the traffic police have asked trucks up to ten wheels to use Mughal road from Jammu towards Srinagar and vice-versa.
“To safeguard the lives of the people from shooting stones at Panthiyal, NHAI has been directed by the government to repair the steel tunnel. Because of these necessary repairs, traffic will remain suspended at Panthyial from 0430 hrs (4.30am) to 0800 hrs (8am),” said an advisory.
Similarly, there shall be no traffic movement every Friday on Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road from either side in view of maintenance on Zoji La axis.
The traffic police have also restricted heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) with more than 10 wheels from plying on Dhar Road that leads to Udhampur from Samba district.
“HMVs with only six and 10 wheels shall be allowed to ply through Dhar road”, it added.
“On Saturday, subject to fair weather and good road condition, only stranded vehicles between Chenani and Banihal will be cleared,” it said.
Mughal Road;
Subject to fair weather and good road condition, light motor vehicles (LMVs) shall be allowed from both sides and HMVs shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu on Mughal road on Saturday.
LMVs followed by HMVs (up to 10 wheels) will be released from Herpora in Shopian district towards Poonch at 0900 hrs (9am) up to 1500 hrs (3pm) and LMVs will be released from Behramgalla (Buffliaz) towards Srinagar at 0900 hrs (9am) up to 1200 hrs (12 noon).
Nomadic movement shall be allowed uninterrupted, subject to the situation on the road.
People were advised to undertake journey on NHW-44 (Jammu-Srinagar national highway) only after confirming status of the road from Traffic control units
Jammu (0191-2459048, 9419147732)
Srinagar (0194-2450022, 2485396, 18001807091)
Ramban (9419993745)
Udhampur (8491928625)
PCR Kishtwar (9906154100) for status of Sinthan Road
