Jammu: Traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was restored partially this morning after remaining suspended for several hours, officials said today. Traffic control unit Ramban said that the highway is open for single way via old alignment of NH-44.
Deputy Commissioner, Ramban Mussarat Zia told KNO that NHAI has made the old alignment of NH-44 motorable and vehicles have been allowed to move on on one-to-one basis.
Meanwhile, train service between Banihal and Qazigund stations was also suspended for the day.
Several landslides struck the national highway near Mehar, Cafeteria Morh, Keela Morh, Sita Ram Passi and Panthiyal in Ramban district today.
Officials said that a portion of the road leading to the Panthiyal tunnel was washed away.
They said that work was underway to clear the road and repair the affected sections despite incessant rains. “People are advised not to travel on the highway till the restoration work is completed,” they added.
Meanwhile, at least 500 vehicles were allowed to ply on Saturday evening along Mughal Road after remaining stuck for a day due to landslide at Ratta Chamb.
Officials told KNO that Mughal Road was closed on Saturday morning after a fresh landslide took place at Ratta Chamb.
Due to fresh landslides, officials said, the debris of the slide blocked the road for traffic while the shooting stones continued for over two hours.
The officials further informed that after the closure of the road in morning, the road clearance work was launched in the late afternoon and the road was cleared for traffic in evening hours.
Officials of Traffic Police said that around five hundred vehicles remained struck on both the sides of Ratta Chamb due to landslides.
The vehicles that remained stuck throughout the day were allowed to ply towards their destinations in the evening.
Earlier, the traffic movement was temporarily suspended on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and the Mughal Road here on Saturday following multiple landslides triggered by heavy overnight rainfall, officials said.
Several landslides struck the national highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, at Mehar, Cafeteria Morh, Keela Morh, Sita Ram Passi and Panthiyal in Ramban, the officials said.
They said a portion of the road leading to the Panthiyal tunnel was washed away.
