Ramban, Mar 3: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remains closed for traffic movement on both sides due to repair and maintenance works in Udhampur and Ramban districts on Friday, traffic officials said.
They said that the two-way traffic would resume on Saturday morning.
On the instructions of the government and authorities between Nashri and Navyug tunnels, the traffic movement remained suspended from 6 am on Friday on both sides of the highway.
A similar traffic dry was observed on February 24 while the next traffic dry day would be observed on March 10.
Due to suspension of traffic movement, the highway passing through Ramban district wore a deserted look although local traffic was seen moving in district Ramban.
On the directions of the government, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has started repair and maintenance works for this purpose and traffic of both sides of the highway remained suspended.
The traffic authorities said that while no Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) were allowed from Jammu or Srinagar on Friday, vehicles stranded between Ramsu and Sherbibi were permitted to move towards Kashmir.
These vehicles had got stuck following rain and after landslides and shooting stones blocked the road at Shalgari, Sherbibi on Thursday night.
The sub contractor companies engaged by the NHAI pressed its men and machinery at various places for patch and other repair works at Dalwass, Karool, Mehar, Cafeteria, Seri, Panthyal, Shalgari Sherbibi, and other places.
Due to the suspension of traffic on the highway Ramsu and Banihal sub divisions and scores of villages falling under Ramban tehsil remained disconnected with Ramban town as no vehicle was allowed to ply on the highway by the Traffic Police personnel deployed on highway.
Commuters especially from Banihal, Ramsu, Ukhral, Khari, and various adjoining areas of Ramban faced problems and difficulties to reach their workplaces due to suspension of traffic movement on the highway.
Meanwhile, traffic authorities said that during the last 12 hours up to Saturday, the highway remained blocked for 3 hours and 35 minutes.
They said that the highway remained blocked for 3 hours and 12 minutes due to shooting stones at Shalgari, Sherbibi near Banihal and for 23 minutes due to the closure of Chenani-Nashri Tunnel.
They said subject to fair weather and good road conditions LMVs would be allowed to ply on either side of the highway while, after assessing traffic and road situation, HMVs would be allowed from Qazigund to move towards Jammu on Saturday.
The cut-off timing for Srinagar-bound LMVs from Nagrota, Jammu has been fixed from 7 am to 12 pm and from Jakhani, Udhampur from 8 am to 1 pm on Saturday.
The cut-off timing for Jammu-bound LMVs from Qazigund, Kashmir has been fixed from 8 am to 12pm.
