Traffic to remain suspended tonight on Jammu-Srinagar highway for repairs

JAMMU: The traffic on 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway will remain suspended between Ramban and Banihal stretch tonight for urgent repairs, a traffic department official said on Monday.

The vehicular traffic from both sides on the highway, the only all weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, will remain suspended from 6 pm Monday till the completion of the repair work, the official said.

He said the decision was taken on the intimation of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) which is carrying out urgent repair and maintenance work between Ramban and Banihal during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

“All type of vehicular movement will remain suspended tonight. No movement of any kind of vehicle, including those carrying perishable items or livestock will be allowed on NH-44 after 6 pm from Qazigund towards Ramban,” the official said.

“Similarly, no vehicular movement shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) after 5 pm and Udhampur at 6 pm. Commuters are advised to avoid journey on NH-44 till the work is completed,” he added.

A high-level combined team of officers from the NHAI, traffic, police and Ramban district administration recently inspected the highway and identified 17 vulnerable points between Nashri and Banihal for urgent repairs to ensure free flow of traffic.

On May 30, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo set deadline of June 10 for streamlining of riding surface and ensuring two way traffic movement on the highway in view of the upcoming annual Amarnath yatra and fruit season in the Union Territory.

The chief secretary took cognizance of the time being taken, at present, by both the Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) to reach from one capital city to another.

He inquired about the condition of the road and the bottlenecks impeding smooth movement of traffic. (PTI)