Ramban: Despite light rain and shooting stones at Mehar- Cafeteria near Ramban and Shalgari and Rampari areas of Banihal, the Srinagar -Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of passenger light motor vehicles and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles for Jammu on Saturday.
Traffic authorities said during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm on Saturday the highway remained blocked for three hours and 12 minutes,
They said the highway remained blocked for one hour at Mehar- Cafeteria, for 58 minutes at Shalgari, and 30 minutes at Rampari near Banihal.
They further said traffic movement remained slow due to the breakdown of nine heavy vehicles between Nashri and Banihal on the highway.
Traffic officials in Ramban said despite the rain hundreds of light motor vehicles including heavy and medium load carriers have crossed the Nashri-Banihal sector of the highway towards their respective destinations. The Jammu-bound heavy vehicles were allowed to move towards Jammu in the evening. Earlier during the day a rolling boulder hit an Innova car in the Sherbibi area. However , the occupants of the car escaped unhurt.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir traffic Police department has issued a fresh advisory for Sunday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance private cars and passenger light motor vehicles would be allowed to ply on both sides of the highway whereas heavy motor vehicles (trucks) would be allowed from Jakhni, Udhampur to move towards Kashmir after assessing the road and traffic situation Sunday morning.
They advised the security forces not to ply against the traffic plan because of possible traffic congestion because of the narrow carriageway between Nashri and Banihal on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
People are advised to undertake journeys on NH-44 only after confirming the status of the road from the traffic control units Srinagar, Ramban, Udhampur, and Jammu on Sunday.
Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic on the National Highway in Ramban informed Greater Kashmir that the highway is open although the road was slippery they advised operators to remain cautious while driving on the highway.
