Landslide blocks Jammu-Srinagar national highway

Jammu-Srinagar national highway is the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of India. Incessant rainfall lashed parts of J-K, triggering landslides.

A fresh landslide on Saturday blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Ramban town, officials said, adding that efforts were on to clear the nearly 300-km-road for plying of vehicles.

Vehicles travel on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Jammu on February 1. The traffic on the highway had been restricted to one way for a fortnight and only Jammu-bound vehicles were allowed to run on the road from Srinagar Saturday morning. (AFP File Photo)

A landslide struck the highway, the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of India, in Maroog area around 1030 hours, forcing authorities to suspend traffic on the highway, traffic department officials said.

The traffic on the highway had been restricted to one way for a fortnight and only Jammu-bound vehicles were allowed to run on the road from Srinagar Saturday morning.

The officials said a road clearance operation was underway despite drizzle and efforts were on to remove the blockade from the highway as soon as possible.

Incessant rainfall lashed parts of Jammu and Kashmir, including the highway over the past two days, triggering landslides at several places on the Ramban-Banihal stretch.

However, the road was cleared around noon on Friday and the traffic, which was suspended earlier in the day, was allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar around 2 pm.

High-altitude areas in the state have experienced moderate snowfall since March 1, resulting in considerable drop in temperatures.