Srinagar: The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for traffic for the third consecutive day on Wednesday following fresh landslides in Ramban district, however, was thrown open for one-way traffic around 1700 hours.
The 270-kilometre-long highway was blocked by mudslides and shooting stones between Chanderkote and Banihal in the district on Monday.
“There was a major landslide on the highway at Rampari area in Banihal tehsil Wednesday morning. Besides, another landslide took place in Wagon,” PTI quoted an official as saying.
Men and machines were deployed to clear the highway, officials said, adding that it took several hours to clear the area.
Meanwhile, SSP Ramban, Mohita Sharma said that single-lane clearance work has been completed at Rampari.
“NH 44 UPDATE: Single lane clearance work completed at Rampari. NH through for traffic. Travel cautiously as road slippery,” Sharma tweeted around 1700 hours on Wednesday.
According to officials, more than 800 vehicles are stranded at different points on the highway.
The Mughal road, which connects Shopian district of Kashmir with Poonch district of Jammu, was also blocked for traffic due to heavy snowfall, they said.
Several inter-district roads are closed due to heavy snowfall in the mountainous districts of the Jammu region, the officials added.
