Ramban, May 22: Scheduled vehicular traffic, from both sides, resumed on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Wednesday.
The highway was closed for traffic movement from both sides due to unspecified reasons on Monday at 6 pm.
“The highway was re-opened on Tuesday at 8 pm, but only for stranded passenger Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) at Jakhani in Udhampur and Qazigund. No LMV or heavy vehicle, except vehicles carrying security forces, patients and medical emergencies, was allowed to ply between Udhampur and Qazigund and vice versa till late Tuesday evening,” traffic officials said.
“On Wednesday morning, the highway was re-opened for two-way traffic of LMVs and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles for Kashmir. Hundreds of LMVs, including passenger vehicles, plied on either side of NH-44 whereas oil and gas tankers and heavy vehicles, carrying essential commodities for the valley, are still heading towards Kashmir,” they said.
The officials, monitoring the regulation of traffic in Ramban, said that the highway remained open but the traffic movement remained slow due to foot-movement of nomads and their livestock; the single-lane carriageway at Dalwass, Mehar-Cafeteria, Panthial, Nachlana, Gangroo, Shalgari, Kishtwari-Pathar and poor road surface conditions at many places between Nashri-Banihal sectors.
Traffic authorities said that subject to fair weather and good road conditions, LMVs, including passenger vehicles, would be allowed to ply on both sides of the highway on Thursday.
“Heavy vehicles would be allowed to ply towards Jammu from Qazigund in Kashmir after assessing traffic and road conditions,” they said.
Meanwhile, traffic authorities once again advised passenger vehicle operators and commuters not to undertake journeys on the highway during night hours, due to apprehensions of shooting stones between Ramban and Banihal.
They advised them to prefer journeys during the daytime only.