A massive landslide hit the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Ramban district in the wee hours of Saturday, leading to suspension of traffic on the only road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, officials said.
However, the landslide was cleared by 6 PM when hundreds ofvehicles stranded on the highway were allowed to move.
The landslide, triggered by incessant rains over the pasttwo days, occurred near Battery Cheshma, completely blocking the 270-kmarterial road, Suresh Sharma, Deputy Superintendent of Police (traffic),national highway Ramban, told PTI.
The traffic on the highway plies from the twin capitals ofSrinagar and Jammu alternatively due to the ongoing work on the four-laningproject. Thousands of vehicles, whichhad left for Srinagar from here this morning, remained stranded on the highwayfollowing the closure of the road.
Sharma said agencies concerned have pressed men andmachinery to open the door.
Sources said the debris of the landslide was removed fromthe road till later afternoon, and hundreds of vehicles including load carriersand trucks carrying essential commodities, as also the passenger vehicles thathad remained stranded for the whole day at vulnerable places on the highway,were allowed to move at 6 PM Saturday.