STATE TIMES NEWS
Banihal: The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was reopened for one-way traffic on Thursday evening after being closed due to landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Ramban district, officials said.
Nearly 1,000 vehicles stranded at different points on the highway in the district have been allowed to move towards their respective destinations, they said.
The 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was blocked at Cafeteria Moore, Mehaar, Chamba Seri, Keela Moode Tunnel, Maroog and Pantiyal in Ramban due to landslides, slush and shooting stones, the officials said.
They said a convoy carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to Kashmir has been stopped at Chanderkoot and the yatris will halt for the night at Yatra Niwas there.
The pilgrims coming from Kashmir to Jammu have been stopped at Mir Bazar yatra camp in Anantnag district, they added.
Talking to PTI, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ramban, Mohita Sharma Garg said the highway was cleared for one-way traffic at around 5 pm and stranded trucks and other vehicles have been allowed to move on priority.
She said work is going on to clear the highway for two-way traffic at the affected locations in the district.
Garg said the yatra will be allowed to move towards the Kashmir Valley only after assessing the weather and road conditions on Friday morning.