Ramban, Feb 28: Srinagar- Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of light and medium passenger vehicles and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles for Kashmir on Tuesday.
However, traffic authorities said during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm, Tuesday Jammu Srinagar NH-44 remained blocked for two hours and 55 minutes.
They said the highway remained blocked for two hours and 25 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel and for 30 minutes due to shooting stones at Mehar, Cafeteria.
They further said movement of traffic remains slow at various places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels due to the breakdown of three heavy Vehicles.
Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic on the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch in Ramban said amid shooting stones and single lane road stretch on Mehar, Cafeteria stretches hundreds of private cars, passenger light, and medium vehicles have crossed this stretch on one by one basis for their respective destinations.
They said Heavy Vehicles released from Jakhani, Udhampur is crossing the Nashri -Ramban sector toward Srinagar and other respective destinations in a regulated manner on the highway.
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 Qazigund, Kashmir to Jammu after assessing the road and traffic situation on NH-44, Wednesday morning.
TCU Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the HMVs on Wednesday.
The cut-off timings have been fixed from 5 am to 10 am from Nagrota, Jammu, and from 6 am to 11 am from Jakhani, Udhampur for Srinagar-bound Light Motor Vehicles.
The cut-off timings for Jammu-bound Light Motor Vehicles have been fixed from 5 am to 10 am from Qazigund, Kashmir on Wednesday. People are advised to undertake journeys on NH-44 only after confirming the status of the road from Traffic Control Units Jammu, Srinagar, and Ramban.
Security Forces are advised not to ply against the advisory because of the narrow carriageways between Nashri –Banihal.
