On the recommendations of authorities vehicular traffic on both sides of Jammu Srinagar National Highway on Friday remained suspended between Nashri and Jawahar tunnel for necessary repairs and maintenance, causing huge inconvenience to commuters and locals alike.
According to sources due to ongoing execution work of four lane project at various places between Banihal and Nashri highway, road stretches had shrunk at many places. Though authorities had implemented one way traffic rule but long queues of vehicles are being witnessed routinely along the Ramban-Banihal stretch. As the apple season is also at its peak, growers are also facing a hard time in transporting their produce to various markets of the country.
Due to suspension of vehicular traffic on highway, Kashmir valley and Banihal, Khari and Ukhral tehsils of Ramban district remained cut off from district headquarter Ramban and winter capital of Union Territory.
Due to suspension of vehicular traffic on highways especially between Banihal and Ramban students, Government employees and patients face hardships to reach district headquarter town Ramban.
Scores of inhabitants from Banihal Ramsu Khari and Ukhral prefer to walk on foot to and fro to reach their respective destinations as there is no other route except Jammu Srinagar National Highway to connect these areas.
Mool Raj, a resident of Digdool area told Greater Kashmir said he along with his wife walked 16 km on foot to reach district hospital Ramban after his wife developed labor pain Friday afternoon.
Similarly some government employees were also seen walking on foot to reach their workplaces due to suspension of vehicular traffic on the highway.
A resident Tara Chand of Maroog village located on highway alleged that in the grab of repair and maintenance of highway, Contractor Companies engaged by NH1A dumped hundreds of tons excavated muck in river Chenab at Morh Ghori Morh Ramban and Chamba Seri. Another local commuter described suspension of vehicular traffic on ever busy highway as equal to harassment.
As already reported vehicular traffic on vital Jammu Srinagar National Highway will remain suspended on every Friday in the month of November and advisory to this effect was issued by the traffic police headquarter Srinagar few days back.