Ramban: Massive traffic congestion was witnessed on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Sunday.
The traffic jam resulted from the single-lane road stretches and breakdown of Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs).
This created multiple bottlenecks from Chenani to Ramban and caused congestion on the road and slowed down the movement of traffic since Sunday morning.
The Traffic Police asked the people to strictly follow lane discipline and one-way traffic norms on the highway.
Traffic officials in Ramban said that the highway was open for Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) but the movements of traffic remained slow due to a single-lane road stretch at Dalwass and between Chenani and Peera in Ramban.
They said between Ramban and Banihal, the movement of traffic remained slow due to on foot movement of nomads and their livestock.
A Police official said that massive traffic congestions were witnessed at crucial junctions from Jakhani, Udhampur to Chanderkote in Ramban district.
The authorities had ordered two-way traffic of LMVs while HMVs were plying alternately on the highway yet the commuters were witnessing traffic jams at various places between Nashri and Banihal.
The commuters and vehicle operators alleged that there were several narrow road stretches where only one HMV could pass at a time.
They said LMV operators always remain in a hurry to overtake due to which the vehicles get stuck in traffic jams.
The traffic authorities said that during the last 24 hours, the highway remained blocked for 8 hours and 44 minutes.
They said that the highway remained blocked for 6 hours and 30 minutes due to the closure of the Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel and for 2 hours and 14 minutes due to the macadamisation of the road stretch in Shabanbass, Banihal on Sunday.
The traffic authorities said that the movement of traffic remained slow due to the breakdown of nine HMVs and on foot movement of nomads and their livestock between Nashri and Banihal.
Meanwhile, J&K Traffic Department issued a fresh advisory for Monday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance, LMVs would be allowed to move on either side of the highway.
They said that since Srinagar-bound HMVs could not be released from Jakhani, Udhampur due to congestion between Chenani and Ramban on Sunday, subject to fair weather and road clearance HMVs would be allowed from Jakhani, Udhampur towards Kashmir on Monday morning.
