SRINAGAR: The Traffic Police Headquarters, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday said the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) will remain open for light motor vehicles (LMVs) from both Jammu and Srinagar on Wednesday, subject to fair weather and road conditions.
According to the traffic advisory, heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) and load carriers will be allowed only from Qazigund towards Jammu on an alternate-day basis. No HMV will be permitted to ply after 7 pm.
The advisory said that in view of the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, empty fuel tankers, trucks carrying empty LPG cylinders, empty Food Corporation of India (FCI) vehicles and other vehicles with up to 10 tyres carrying perishables back to Jammu should use the Mughal Road on days when the upward HMV convoy is scheduled on NH-44.
Traffic Police said local inter-district movement from Nagrota, Jammu, will not be allowed after 1 pm because of extensive road damage at Dewal in Udhampur and single-lane stretches on the highway.
Private vehicles travelling towards Srinagar have been advised to use the Jawahar Tunnel road to avoid screening at Lamber, Banihal, while commuters heading to Batote, Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar from Jammu have been advised to use the Patnitop route.
Passengers and LMV operators have been advised to travel during the day and avoid night journeys because of the risk of landslides, shooting stones and ongoing road construction between Ramban and Banihal.
The advisory said the Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag road (NH-244) will remain open for LMVs from both sides between 8 am and 4 pm from Parana towards Anantnag and between 9 am and 4 pm from Daksum towards Kishtwar, subject to weather conditions.
On the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road, LMVs will be allowed from both sides up to 1 pm, while HMVs will be permitted from Sonamarg towards Kargil between noon and 5 pm. Motorists have been advised to carry anti-skid chains.
The Mughal Road will remain open for LMVs and HMVs with up to 10 tyres from both sides between 7 am and 6 pm, subject to fair weather and clearance from the Border Roads Organisation.
Traffic Police advised commuters to avoid unnecessary halts between Ramban and Banihal, particularly at landslide-prone locations, and asked HMV operators to avoid overloading and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before undertaking the journey. — (GNS)
