Srinagar, Sept 11: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), the only all-weather road connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India, was partially reopened on Thursday after being blocked for 14 days following massive landslides, flash floods, and heavy rains.
Officials said one-way traffic was permitted from Jammu towards Srinagar and Doda, offering much-needed relief to stranded passengers and providing a boost to the Valley’s economy.
The highway was initially closed on August 26 due to multiple blockages caused by torrential rains. Though briefly reopened on August 30, fresh landslides soon forced another shutdown, extending the disruption to over two weeks. The prolonged closure stranded hundreds of trucks, passenger vehicles, and disrupted critical supply chains on both sides.
According to traffic authorities, only light motor vehicles (LMVs) and trucks carrying essential commodities were allowed on Thursday. Movement of heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) will resume once the road stabilizes, they said.
SSP Traffic National Highway, Adil Hamid, told Rising Kashmir that traffic from Jammu to Srinagar and Jammu to Doda was allowed under strict advisories. “We are closely monitoring the road condition. If weather permits, the highway will be fully restored soon. However, delays caused by motorists ignoring traffic advisories hamper restoration efforts,” he said.
The worst damage occurred at the Thard-Jakheni stretch in Udhampur district, where a massive landslide measuring 550 by 300 meters buried the highway, cutting off movement and posing a significant engineering challenge for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
An NHAI spokesman said hundreds of workers and engineers were deployed immediately, working around the clock despite heavy rains and frequent disruptions. “From the night of the landslide, our teams have worked tirelessly, braving rain, mud, and blockages. We operated on a war footing to restore this vital lifeline,” he said.
To bypass the damaged section, NHAI constructed a 300-meter diversion road, completed by September 10, enabling partial traffic resumption from Thursday.
The highway reopening brings relief to the Kashmir Valley, which had remained cut off during a critical apple harvesting season. Fruit growers and traders had expressed concern over mounting losses caused by transport bottlenecks, as apples were forced onto costlier alternative routes.
Despite partial restoration, officials cautioned that the road remains vulnerable to weather. Continuous rainfall has repeatedly hampered repair work, and heavy motor vehicles will be permitted only after engineers confirm the diversion can safely bear their weight.
The NHAI spokesman urged commuters to strictly adhere to traffic advisories to prevent further disruptions. “Restoration is ongoing, and public cooperation is key to keeping the highway functional,” he said.
Meanwhile, a traffic police advisory stated that, subject to fair weather and road conditions, one-way traffic for LMVs from Jammu towards Srinagar will be allowed from Nagrota onward. The advisory warned that the highway has not been fully restored at the Tharad section in Udhampur.
“Light Motor Vehicle traffic was allowed on a trial basis, but due to the slippery road surface, vehicles got jammed and had to be pushed through using JCBs and loaders throughout the day,” the advisory added. It also noted that due to the wet roadbed, heavy motor vehicles cannot be permitted until the surface dries.
Alternative routes such as the Mughal Road, Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumari road, and Sinthan road remain operational for traffic movement.
