Ramban, May 23: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of light and medium passenger vehicles and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles for Jammu on Tuesday.
However, no Kashmir-bound private car or passenger light vehicle was allowed to proceed before or after the scheduled cut-off timing fixed by the traffic department of 6 am to 11 am from Police Check Post Nagrota, Jammu, and from 7 am to 12 pm, from Jakhani, Udhampur today.
Traffic authorities said during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm, Tuesday, Jammu Srinagar NH-44 remained blocked for five hours and 14 minutes. They said the highway remained blocked for one hour and 4 minutes due to the closure of the Banihal-Qazigund (Navyug ) tunnel and for four hours and 10 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel.
They further said movement of traffic remained slow at various places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels due to the breakdown of seventeen heavy vehicles and on foot movement of nomads and their livestock. Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic in Ramban said hundreds of private cars, passenger light and medium vehicles have crossed the Nashri-Banihal sector of the highway for their respective destinations.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir traffic department issued a fresh advisory for Wednesday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance, Light Motor Vehicles will be allowed to move on either side whereas HMVs would be allowed from Jakhani, Udhampur towards Kashmir after assessing the road and traffic situation on NH-44, Wednesday morning.
They said no vehicle would be allowed before or after the cut-off timings fixed by the traffic department on Wednesday. The cut-off timing for Srinagar-bound private cars and LMVs has been fixed at 6 am to 11 am from Nagrota, Jammu, and 7 am to 12 pm from Jakhani, Udhampur on Wednesday. The cut-off timing for Jammu-bound LMVs has been fixed from Qazigund, Kashmir from 6 am to 11 am on Wednesday.