Srinagar, July 10: The traffic movement on Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained suspended for the third day on Monday, while the officials said that more than 6000 vehicles have been stranded along both sides of the highway.
They said that no traffic will be allowed on Tuesday as restoration will take more time.
A police spokesman said the collective efforts from the UT Administration and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), put in throughout the day, resulted in substantial improvement in the road condition.
“However, complete restoration is expected to take some more time. Accordingly, it has been decided by the UT Administration to keep the traffic on National Highway-44 suspended for Tuesday also i.e. 11.07.2023. HMVs are advised to take Mughal Road for journeys from Jammu to Srinagar and vice versa,” he said.
The spokesman said traffic is likely to resume on Wednesday), however, the next update will be issued Tuesday evening.
Earlier on Saturday, the highway was blocked after a massive landslide washed away the road near the newly built Panthyal tunnel.
While a major portion of the highway sank along the highway at Chamba Seri Ramban on Sunday and blockage left thousands of vehicles stranded along both sides of the highway.
A senior officer at the traffic department told Rising Kashmir that more than 6000 vehicles have been stranded along both sides of the highway.
“The restoration work along the highway is under process and it will take more than 24 hours to restore the traffic on the highway,” he said, adding that earth movers, labourers are on the job.
Kashmir-bound trucks have been stopped at Qazigund junction, while stranded vehicles from Jammu have been stopped at Ramban, Udhampur, and other areas to avoid further congestion on the highway.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Mussarat Zia said that Granular Sub Base (GSB) works are in progress by National Highway at Panthyal, Ramsoo, to connect Tunnel T-5 with Tunnel T-3 where a portion of approach road had caved in on July 8.
“We have achieved substantial progress along NHAI in laying an interim bypass at Seri Ramban, to restore connectivity on NH-44,” he said.
DC Ramban further said they had deployed multiple machines at Seri, Ramban on NH-44 for a stop-gap bypass ro restore connectivity.
Meanwhile, subject to fair weather and good road condition, vehicular movement on Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumari road shall be allowed from both sides viz Srinagar towards Kargil and vice-versa.
“LMVs followed by HMVs shall be allowed from Minamarg towards Srinagar at 7:30 am to 1100 pm. Similarly, LMVs followed by HMVs shall be allowed from Sonamarg towards Kargil at 1:00 pm to 5 pm . No vehicle shall be allowed after cut off timings,” it said.
On historic Mughal Road, subject to fair weather and good road condition, vehicular movement on Mughal road shall be allowed from both sides viz. Poonch towards Shopian and vice versa. These vehicles shall be allowed from Behramgalla (Buffliaz) and Herpora (Shopian) at 6 am upto 6 pm . No vehicle shall be allowed after cut off timings, he said.
