Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jan 11: The 271 kms Srinagar-Jammu Highway Monday remained closed for traffic movement in view of the damage to a bridge near Kela Morh in Ramban district of Jammu division while as authorities stated that the crucial-surface link connecting Kashmir with rest of the world, will remain shut for the next five days.
ADGP Traffic T. Namgyal said a bridge at Kela Morh in Ramban was damaged and it will take at least five days to restore the highway for traffic movement.
A portion of the road near Kela Morh, about four km ahead of the Ramban district headquarters, sank after a concrete retaining wall of the bridge collapsed, leading to the sinking of the road on Sunday evening, the officials said.
A 16-metre retaining wall of a bridge collapsed, which led to the sinking of a 15-metre road, rendering the highway unsafe.
“There was no traffic movement on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway today in view of the damage caused to the bridge at Kela Morh in Ramban,” said a traffic control room official.
In a fresh communiqué by Traffic Police headquarters J&K which reads; “Jammu-Srinagar NHW is closed due to sudden damage of bridge at Kela Morh, Ramban. It will take at least 05 days to repair the damaged bridge as stated by NHAI. However, Jammu-Doda-Kishtwar, Jammu-Ramban, Magerkot-Banihal and Banihal-Qazigund stretches are through for traffic.”
The officers of the Ramban district administration along with officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) rushed to the spot, which is located adjacent to an under-construction tunnel, to devise a strategy for an early restoration of the highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country.
The traffic police official said the restoration work is going on in full swing and all out efforts are being made to ensure the traffic operation on the highway is resumed early.
The highway was opened for traffic only on Sunday after remaining closed for seven days following heavy snowfall and multiple landslides triggered by incessant rains.
Over 3000 vehicle, including those carrying passengers and trucks loaded with essentials are stranded on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway which was closed after retaining wall of a main bridge at Kela Morh collapsed last evening, official sources told UNI.
Sources said after the traffic was resumed after remaining suspended for over four days, over 5000 vehicles, mostly trucks carrying essentials and oil tankers, arrived in the valley.
The traffic on the highway plies alternatively from the twin capitals of Jammu and Srinagar to facilitate a smooth movement of vehicles in view of the ongoing work on the four-laning highway project.
Meanwhile, Mughal road continues to remain closed due to snow accumulation.
However, flight operations remained smooth today at the Srinagar Airport.
Santosh Dhoke, Director Srinagar Airport said the flight operations at Srinagar Airport were smooth and no flight was cancelled today.
“There were total 28 flight movements,” he said. (Additional inputs from KNO, UNI)
Highway to remain closed for five days
