Srinagar, Feb 10: The 270-kilometer long Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for vehicular traffic on Friday due to mudslides, shooting stones at multiple places along the road, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded from both sides of the highway.
SSP Ramban& SSP Traffic NHW, Mohita Sharma said mudslides and shooting stones disrupted traffic at Panthyal following which traffic was stopped from both sides.
“Traffic will resume after clearance of debris from the highway. Both men and machinery are on job to restore the road,” she said.
A traffic police department spokesman said from Thursday 5 PM to Friday 5 PM, the Srinagar-Jammu highway remained blocked for 23 hours due to shooting stones at Cafeteria Mode, Mehar and Panthyal.
“Due to heavy rainfall on the whole NH-44, mudslides at Cafeteria-Mehar, Ramban and shooting stones at Panthyal and other locations approx. 1000 vehicles both HMVs and LMVs are stranded on NHW,” he said.
On Saturday, if weather permits only stranded vehicles will be allowed to move to their destinations, subject to road conditions, the spokesman said.
“People were advised to undertake a journey on NHW-44 (Jammu-Srinagar national highway) only after confirming the status of the road from Traffic control units,” he said.
Meanwhile, the State Disaster Management Authority on Friday issued an avalanche warning in 12 districts of Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of heavy snowfall in the valley.
A JKDMA Spokesperson said that an avalanche with a high danger level is likely to occur above 2200 to 2400 metres over Baramulla and Ganderbal districts in next 24 hours.
“Avalanche with medium danger level is likely to occur above 2000 to 2500 metres over Bandipore, Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Reasi, and Rajouri districts in next 24 hours”, he said.
He said that People living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas.
