Ramban: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and one-way traffic of Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) for Kashmir on Saturday.
The commuters and vehicle operators witnessed traffic jams at various places due to narrow road stretches and on foot movement of nomads and their livestock between the Nashri and Banihal stretches of the highway.
Traffic congestion was witnessed at Mehar, Ramban, Seri, Kelamorh, Digdool, Magarkote, and other places between Ramsu and Banihal due to which vehicles remained stranded in long queues till the congestion was eased on the highway in the afternoon.
The traffic authorities said that during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm on Saturday, the highway remained blocked for 5hours and 50 minutes
They said that the highway remained blocked for 4 hours and 40 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel and for 1 hour and 10 minutes due to road maintenance work at Dalwass near Nashri.
The traffic authorities said that movement of traffic remained slow at various places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels due to the breakdown of 15 HMVs and on foot movement of nomads and their livestock.
The traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic in Ramban said hundreds of LMVs crossed the Nashri-Banihal sector of the highway for their respective destinations during the day.
They said that the scheduled Jammu-bound HMVs could not be released from Qazigund, Kashmir as Srinagar-bound HMVs were not cleared on Saturday.
Meanwhile, J&K Traffic Department issued a fresh advisory for Sunday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance, LMVs would be allowed to move on either side of the highway while HMVs would be allowed from Qazigund, Kashmir towards Jammu after assessing the road and traffic situation on the highway on Sunday morning.