Srinagar: Traffic Police Headquarters Jammu and Kashmir has issued a traffic advisory for March 9 regarding vehicular movement on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) and other major routes, urging commuters to maintain lane discipline and check road conditions before travelling.
According to officials, slow movement of traffic was observed on NH-44 between 1600 hours on March 7 and 1600 hours on March 8 due to single-lane traffic between Maroog and Kishtwari Pather, along with the breakdown of several heavy motor vehicles at different locations.
Authorities advised passenger vehicles and Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) to prefer travelling on the Jammu–Srinagar highway during daytime and avoid night travel due to the risk of shooting stones, landslides and ongoing construction work between Ramban and Banihal.
Traffic officials also cautioned commuters against overtaking and driving on the wrong lane, stating that such violations often lead to congestion on the highway.
As per the advisory, subject to fair weather and improved road conditions, LMVs, passenger vehicles and private cars, including light goods carriers, will be allowed to ply on NH-44 from both Jammu and Srinagar sides. The movement of vehicles will be coordinated by Traffic Control Units (TCUs) at Ramban, Jammu and Srinagar depending on road conditions.
Vehicles belonging to security agencies will also be allowed to move from both sides after confirmation of road status by the Traffic Control Unit at Ramban.
For the Kishtwar–Sinthan–Anantnag road (NH-244), only LMVs and passenger vehicles will be permitted to travel from both sides after confirmation of road conditions by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s office in Chatroo. Vehicles heading towards Anantnag will move from PP Parana between 0900 and 1500 hours, while those travelling to Kishtwar will be allowed from Sinthan Top during the same period.
On the Srinagar–Sonamarg–Gumri road (SSG Road), only LMVs fitted with anti-skid chains will be allowed to move from Kargil towards Srinagar and Sonamarg after receiving clearance from traffic control units.
Officials said that in case of avalanche threat along the Zojila axis, vehicles will be allowed to move from Minamarg towards Srinagar only after clearance from the concerned authorities between 1500 and 1800 hours.
Meanwhile, on the Mughal Road, passenger vehicles and LMVs will be permitted to travel from Shopian towards Poonch via Chandimar and Heerpora between 1100 and 1500 hours, subject to favourable weather and road conditions.
Traffic Police have advised commuters to undertake journeys only after confirming the latest road status from Traffic Control Units in Jammu, Srinagar, Ramban, Udhampur, PCR Kishtwar and PCR Kargil.
