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 Jammu on Monday.
However, the drivers and commuters complained that they remained stuck in traffic congestion at several places between Nashri and Banihal in the morning and afternoon.
They said that they remained stuck in long queues at Dhalwass, Peera, Mehar Cafeteria, Ramban, Seri, Maroog, Battery Chasma, Magarkote, and other places due to narrow road stretches.
The traffic authorities said that during the last 24 hours the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained blocked for 4 hours and 2 minutes.
They said that the highway remained blocked for 1 hour and 15 minutes due to shooting stones at Mehar, and for 2 hours and 47 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel.
The traffic authorities said that the movement of traffic on NH-44 remained slow due to a single-lane road stretch at Dalwass, near Nashri, breakdown of six HMVs, and on-foot movement of nomads and their livestock between Nashri and Banihal.
Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic in several places on the highway said that hundreds of LMVs crossed for their respective destinations on the highway. They said HMVs released from Qazigund, Kashmir were heading towards Jammu. Meanwhile, J&K Traffic Department issued a fresh advisory for Tuesday 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 Tuesday morning.