Srinagar-Jammu Highway Closed For 2nd Day After Landslides, Restoration Underway
The Srinagar-Jammu national highway was closed for the second due to landslides.
The strategic Srinagar-Jammu national highway, also known as NH44, was closed for the second consecutive day on Sunday, owing to landslides, mudslides and shooting stones. The multiple landslides triggered by incessant rains between Banihal and Ramban led the highway to be blocked since Saturday. However, with the improvement of the weather, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has stepped up efforts to ensure the early opening of the arterial road.
#WATCH | Jammu-Srinagar National Highway closed for the second consecutive day due to a mudslide in the Dhalwas area of Ramban District.
— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2024
Source: J&K Traffic Police pic.twitter.com/vGs9Y7xaO0
The 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was blocked at over half a dozen places between Nashri and Banihal including Dalwas, Mehad-Cafetia and Hingni in Ramban, according to PTI.
This highway serves as a crucial lifeline, as it is the main route through which all essential supplies are transported into the landlocked Valley. In addition to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, several other routes, including the Srinagar-Leh, Mughal Road, Sinthan-Kishtwar road, Bandipora-Gurez, and Kupwara-Tangdhar road, remained snowbound and closed for traffic.
Traffic update at 0900 hrs
— J&K Traffic Police (@Traffic_hqrs) March 3, 2024
Restoration work is in progress on Jammu-Srinagar NHW. People are advised to avoid journey on NH-44 till the road is clear. please ask TCU for latest update.@JmuKmrPolice@JKTransportDept@OfficeOfLGJandK@Divcomjammu@DivComKash@ZPHQJammu
@igpjmu pic.twitter.com/WWtf9EVt15
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Officials have informed that a portion of the road near Panthiyal was also washed away, as per PTI. Since the highway’s blockage, a large number of stranded passengers, including over 200 tourists, have been taken to safer places in Ramban district.
Control rooms and tourist rescue
On Sunday, while traffic officials said that efforts are in place to restore the highway, they advised commuters and travellers not to take the route without contacting control rooms in Srinagar and Jammu, as per IANS. “Efforts to restore the highway for traffic are going on. Intending travellers are advised not to undertake the journey without contacting our control rooms at Srinagar and Jammu,” the officials said
The police have established control centres in every district headquarters following incessant rainfall that has caused flooding in various water bodies, officials told PTI. They urged the public to steer clear of swollen rivers, streams, and ponds to ensure safety.
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