Ramban: The Srinagar- Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic for light and medium passenger vehicles and one-way traffic for heavy vehicles for Jammu on Thursday.
However, traffic authorities said during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm Thursday the highway remained blocked for eight hours and 42 minutes.
They said the highway remained blocked for four hours and 12 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel, for three hours and 10 minutes at Shalgari, Chambalwass, and one hour and 20 at Mehar, Cafeteria.
They further said movement of traffic remained slow at various places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels due to the breakdown of five heavy Vehicles.
Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic on the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch in Ramban said hundreds of private cars, passenger light, and medium vehicles have crossed this stretch for their respective destinations.
They said heavy vehicles released from Qazigund, Kashmir are crossing the Banihal -Ramban sector towards Jammu and other respective destinations in a regulated manner on the highway.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir traffic department issued a fresh advisory for Friday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance, light motor vehicles will be allowed to move on either side whereas heavy motor vehicles would be allowed from Jakhani, Udhampur to Srinagar after assessing the road and traffic situation on NH-44, Friday morning.
TCU Udhampur shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the HMVs.
The cut-off timings have been fixed from 7 am to 12 pm from Nagrota, Jammu, and from 8 am to 1 pm from Jakhani, Udhampur for Srinagar-bound Light Motor Vehicles.
The cut-off timings for Jammu-bound Light Motor Vehicles have been fixed from 8 am to 12 pm from Qazigund, Kashmir on Friday.
Security Forces are advised not to ply against the advisory because of the narrow carriageways between Nashri –Banihal, the officials said.