
Ramban: Despite disruption due to delays in scheduled repair works and due to intermittent rolling stones on the Mehar Cafeteria stretch, 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.
Traffic authorities said that the highway remained blocked for 6 hours and 56 minutes on Saturday from 6 am to 5 pm.
They said that the highway remained blocked for 5 hours due to macadamisation at Magarkote, for 1 hour and 26 minutes due to shooting stones on the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch, and for 30 minutes due to the closure of Chenani-Nashri tunnel.
On Friday, traffic on the highway was suspended on the directions of the authorities for carrying necessary repair and maintenance works.
Traffic resumed Saturday afternoon while the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) failed to complete work on the scheduled time in Magarkote area.
Traffic was also disrupted due to the intermittent triggering of stones on the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch of the highway.
Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic in Ramban said that despite disruption, hundreds of vehicles plied on either side of the highway.
They said HMVs released from Jakhani, Udhampur crossed the Nashri-Ramban stretch and headed towards Kashmir.
Meanwhile, J&K Traffic Police headquarters issued a traffic advisory for Sunday stating that LMVs would be allowed to ply on both sides of the highway while HMVs would be allowed to move from Qazigund, Kashmir to Jammu on Sunday.
SSP Ramban Mohita Sharma told Greater Kashmir that more than 2445 vehicles were challaned for speeding, overloading, and overtaking, and 30 vehicles were seized under the Motor Vehicle Act during the week.