JAMMU A massive landslide blocked the Jammu-Srinagar Highway in Ramban district Monday and authorities mobilized men and machinery to restore the all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest world, officials said.
The highway was cleared for one-way traffic on Sunday, a day after being closed due to heavy snowfall along the Jawahar Tunnel-Qazigund stretch and landslides at multiple places between Ramban and Banihal sector.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Ramban, Anita Sharma said a landslide struck the highway near Battery Cheshma along the Banihal-Ramban stretch, blocking the 270-km arterial road.
The traffic on the highway was allowed from Jammu to Srinagar on Monday morning, while restricted traffic was allowed from Srinagar to Jammu to enable government employees working in the Civil Secretariat and other ‘Darbar Move’ offices to join their duties in Jammu.
The Civil Secretariat reopened on Monday after a 10-day break owing to the bi-annual ‘Darbar Move’, which was started by the then Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1872 to escape the extreme heat during summers in Jammu and biting cold of winters in Srinagar.
Officials said that the highway was made traffic worthy late in the evening on Monday but allowing two-way traffic on the thoroughfare was feasible.
The commuters are advised to confirm status of the road from Traffic Control Units at Srinagar, Ramban, Jammu and PCR Jammu/Srinagar before starting journey on the Jammu – Srinagar highway as chances of occurring of sudden landslides/shooting stones at vulnerable/landslide prone areas during night hours cannot be ruled out, traffic department said in a statement.
Keeping in view the over all condition of the road, especially between Jawahar Tunnel and Ramban coupled with narrow width of the highway at some places, allowing two way movement of vehicles on the highway is not feasible, it said, adding, Therefore, subject to fair weather and good condition of the road, on 06.11.2018, movement of LMVs on the Jammu- Srinagar highway shall be allowed from Pantha Chowk/Peaks Chowk, bypass (Srinagar) towards Jammu after 0500 hours to 1500 hours and shall be cross Levdora, Qazigund up to 1700 hours.
No movement of any LMVs shall be allowed from Pantha Chowk/Peaks Chowk, bypass (Srinagar) towards Jammu after 1500 hours and from Levdora, Qazigund after 1700 hours to avoid congestion on the highway.
Meanwhile Mughal road, Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumari road remained closed for movement of traffic due to snowfall. Decision regarding allowing the movement of traffic on these Roads shall be taken after the roads are cleared off by concerned road maintenance agencies and after assessing weather/road condition itself.
People are requested to undertake journey on Mughal Road/Srinagar- Gumari Road only after confirming the status of the road from TCU Srinagar (0194-2450022, 9469807526) and TCU Jammu (0191-2459048, 9419147732).
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