J&K highway closed for 4th day; over 600 passengers stranded

The 300-km long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for traffic for the fourth consecutive day today due to landslides triggered by heavy rains, leaving over 600 Kashmir-bound passengers are stranded.

Authorities have not allowed any fresh movement of traffic from Jammu to Srinagar or from the other side, SSP Traffic, National Highway, Sanjay Kotwal said.

As a result of closure of the highway, over 600 Kashmir-bound passengers are stranded at the Jammu bus stand for the past three days and are demanding that they be airlifted to Kashmir.

The highway was closed on April 1 due to landslides triggered by heavy rains at several places, he said.

The men and machines of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are working to clear the highway of landslides and make it motorable, he said, adding the highway is expected to reopen by this evening.

About 700-800 trucks are stranded at various places at Jammu, Udhampur, Banihal, Ramban, Batote and Patnitop areas of the highway, he said, adding that all the stranded passenger vehicles have been cleared from the highway.

Meanwhile, the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar inter-district road also remained closed for the fourth day for traffic in view of landslides at different places, they said, adding efforts are being made to restore the road for traffic.