BANIHAL/JAMMU: Vehicular movement was suspended on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Sunday for 15 hours following landslides, triggered by overnight rains, at a few places in Ramban district, officials said.
A traffic department official said road clearance work was started at Kishtwari Pather and Mehar-Cafeteria Morh since morning to ensure early restoration of traffic on the 270-km-long highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the world.
A massive landslide hit Kishtwari Pather near Nachalana in the Banihal area around midnight, while a mudslide and shooting stones from a hillock blocked the road at Mehar-Cafeteria Morh near Ramban town, the officials said.
“Jammu-Srinagar NHW (NH-44) partially restored, stranded vehicles between Nashree and Banihal are being cleared,” he said, adding, “Commuters are advised to follow lane discipline, drive with cautiously as apprehension of shooting stones between Ramban and Banihal.”
Meanwhile it is pertinent to mention that authorities have said that the movement of Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMV’s) on Highway shall remain suspended temporarily on April 1 and 2 in view of repair work on airstrip at Bijbehara Anantnag.
Officials said the movement of heavy motor vehicles will remain suspended on 01.042024 from 0400 hrs to 0700 hrs and on 02.04.2024. They advised truckers to avoid journey on the highway on mentioned time so that repair work will be done smoothly
