Jammu-Srinagar National Highway cleared of landslide debris

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was on Saturday afternoon cleared of the debris brought in by a massive mudslide in Ramban district, paving the way for resumption of one-way traffic after two days, officials said.

The traffic on the highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, would be allowed from Jammu to Srinagar on Sunday subject to fair weather and better road condition, officials of the traffic department said.

The road was closed for routine weekly maintenance on Friday but was blocked at Shabanbass near Banihal following a massive mudslide triggered by heavy rains besides shooting of stones from the hillocks overlooking the highway at multiple places between Banihal and Ramban.

Officials said the road clearance work was completed around 3 pm on Saturday but only the local stranded traffic was allowed to ply towards their destinations.

"In view of the inclement weather prediction issued by the meteorological department for the next few days, people are advised to undertake journeys on the highway after confirming the status of the road," an advisory issued by the traffic department said.

However, it said light motor vehicles would be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar, setting a cut-off timing for such vehicles to cross Nagrota (Jammu) between 5 am to 12 pm and Jakheni (Udhampur) between 6 am to 1 pm.

"No vehicle shall be allowed before and after the cut-off timing," the advisory said, adding that only stranded heavy motor vehicles would be allowed between Nashree and Ramban.