Ramban, Feb 19: Following heavy rains, the only surface link connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country – Srinagar Jammu National Highway (NH 44) was closed due to landslides and shooting stones between the Nashri and Banihal section on Monday morning.
Traffic authorities said due to inclement weather, heavy rains led to landslides and shooting stones along the National Highway.
They said that the highway was blocked by landslides at Dalwass, Mehar-Cafeteria, Chambalwass, and Gangroo and due to shooting stones at tunnel T2, Jaswal bridge, Maroog and other places between Nashri and Banihal.
Due to the blockade, hundreds of vehicles, especially load carriers, were stranded at various locations between Jammu and Srinagar.
“National Highway 44 was closed due to landslides and shooting stones at several places between Nashri and Banihal. Heavy rains that lashed Udhampur and Banihal caused intermittent triggering of slides, shooting stones, accumulation of mudslides and waterlogging at several places between Nashri and Banihal,” officials said.
They said that no fresh traffic was allowed from Jammu and Srinagar due to the closure of national passes through the Ramban district.
“Due to the closure of the road, vehicles were stopped at safer places at different locations between Udhampur and Qazigund,” they added.
Traffic officials in Ramban said, “Road restoration work was started amid rain and some stranded passenger vehicles were cleared via Maitra, Ramban’s old alignment of Srinagar Jammu National Highway to bypass the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch.”
They said that efforts were being made to clear the landslides but continuous rain was hampering the road restoration works.
Traffic authorities late Monday evening said, “National Highway 44 was closed for any type of vehicular movement. The commuters have been advised not to undertake journeys on the Srinagar Jammu National Highway till the weather improves and road restoration work gets completed.”
Senior Superintendent of Traffic Police National Highway Ramban Rohit Baskotra said, “National Highway was closed for every type of traffic due to landslides and shooting stones at several places between Nashri and Banihal. Road restoration work was going on.”