Ramban: Srinagar -Jammu National Highway remained open on Saturday for two-way traffic movement of Amarnath Yatra, private cars, passenger light motor vehicles and Jammu bound heavy motor vehicles although shooting stones kept on rolling down the hilly slopes intermittently at Mehar- Ramban on Saturday.
Sector officers of traffic police National Highway Ramban informed that most vulnerable and landslide and shooting stone- prone areas of the Highway from Chanderkote to Ramsu remained open.
“However, at some places, traffic congestion was witnessed during the day and in the evening also. Vehicular traffic kept on moving on the highway, though at a snail’s pace, at Mehar due to intermittent tumbling of shooting stones. However, the highway remained open for vehicular traffic throughout the day,” they said.
Officials said earlier in the morning, the convoy of Amarnath Yatra, carrying pilgrims for two Yatra base camps i.e., Pahalgam and Baltal in Kashmir, crossed the Ramban-Banihal sector of the highway safely.
While confirming the status of the highway on Saturday evening, the officials at Traffic Control Unit (TCU) Ramban informed that the traffic was moving towards Jammu.
“Jammu-bound trucks are crossing the shooting stone-prone road stretch of Mehar towards Jammu at a very slow pace,” they informed.
As per traffic advisory, subject to fair weather and better road conditions, light vehicles will be allowed to ply on both sides of the highway whereas heavy load carriers (trucks) stranded in Udhampur jurisdiction will be allowed to move towards Kashmir on the highway on Sunday after assessing the traffic situation.
TCUs of Srinagar, Jammu and Udhampur have been asked to liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the traffic.
“The cut-off timing for the Srinagar-bound LMVs and private cars has been fixed as 7.30 am to 11.30 am from Nagrota- Jammu and 8. 30 am to 12.30 pm from Jakhani (Udhampur). The cut-off timings for the Jammu-bound LMVs have been fixed as 11.30 am to 2 pm from Qazigund. The operators of private cars and other passengers of Light Motor Vehicles are advised to use the Jawahar tunnel route up to 2 pm,” the advisory said.
“The heavy motor vehicles will be allowed to move towards Kashmir on Sunday afternoon. The Amarnath Yatris and tourists are advised to travel in Kashmir valley only between 7 am to 6 pm and must plan their travel accordingly, to reach their destinations within a given time. In case, yatris or tourists fail to reach their destinations within the stipulated time i.e., 6 pm, the security forces will make them halt for the night at the nearest lodgement centre,” the advisory added.
It further advised the people to undertake their journey on the highway only after confirming the status of the road from TCUs of Srinagar, Jammu, Udhampur and Ramban on Sunday morning.
