Ramban, Feb 10: Following moderate to heavy rains, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained closed on Friday due to the continuous triggering of rolling stones from a hillock at Panthyal and fresh mud and landslides on the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch between Chanderkote and Ramban since 6 pm on Thursday.
Official sources said that the moderate to heavy rains that had lashed across Ramban district since Thursday morning caused shooting stones at Panthyal, and mud and landslides on the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch and a few other places.
They said that due to the blockade of the highway, hundreds of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) were stranded at various locations on the highway between Nashri and Banihal in Ramban district.
Official sources said that the road restoration work was started amid heavy rains Friday morning at Seri, Mehar-Cafeteria stretch, and other places but stopped after continuous landslides and shooting stones at Panthyal.
Traffic officers in Ramban said that the continuous triggering of shooting stones and landslides at Panthyal and Mehar Cafeteria was hampering restoration work.
They said that men and machinery were deployed but boulders and stones had come down on the highway at Panthyal continuously since Thursday evening.
Police said that the road remained closed and traffic had been stopped at Nagrota, Jammu, Dhar Road, Jakhani, Udhampur, Chanderkote, Ramban, Seri, and Banihal, Qazigund.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mussarat Islam told Greater Kashmir that due to the high-intensity shooting stone activity at Panthyal near Ramsu, the highway remained closed.
He said that the prime concern of the administration was safeguarding the lives of the passengers.
Vehicular traffic on the highway was stopped on Thursday at 6 pm due to shooting stones and overnight rains that caused fresh mud and landslides including shooting stones.
Due to the blockade of the highway, hundreds of vehicles are stranded at several places on the highway, a Traffic Department official said.
He said that the road clearance agencies had swung into action after a slight improvement in the weather on Friday morning and efforts were on to reopen the highway.
Deputy Commissioner Mussarat Islam and SSP Traffic National Highway Mohita Sharma have advised people not to undertake journeys till the highway is cleared from landslides and shooting stones.
They said due to the blockade of the highway, approximately 1000 LMVs and HMVs were stranded.
They said if weather permits and after road clearance, only stranded vehicles would be allowed to move to their destinations on Saturday.
