Srinagar Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of light and medium passenger vehicles and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles for Kashmir on Sunday.
The officials monitoring the regulation of traffic in Ramban said that vehicular movement on Srinagar Jammu National Highway was disrupted for some time due to the landslides and shooting stones in Rampari area of Banihal.
They said, “The landslide and shooting stones blocked the down tube Sunday afternoon due to which vehicular traffic was disrupted for some time. The traffic was diverted through another (up) tube.”
Traffic authorities said during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm on Sunday, Srinagar Jammu NH-44 remained blocked for seven hours and 5 minutes.
They said the highway remained blocked for one hour and 17 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel and for three hours and 46 minutes due to the closure of the Banihal-Qazigund tunnel.
They said highways remained blocked for 45 minutes due to road restoration work at Dalwas, and for one hour and 17 mins at Shan Palace Ramban due to filling of potholes.
They further said the pace of traffic was slow at various places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels due to the breakdown of heavy vehicles and on-foot movement of nomads and their livestock.
Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic in Ramban late Sunday evening said the highway was open and hundreds of private cars, passenger light, and medium vehicles crossed the Nashri-Banihal sector of the highway for their respective destinations.
They said heavy vehicles released from Jakhani, Udhampur were crossing the Ramban–Banihal sector toward Kashmir in a regulated manner on the highway.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir traffic department issued a fresh advisory for Monday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance, Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) would be allowed to move on either side whereas heavy motor vehicles would be allowed from Qazigund, Kashmir towards Jammu after assessing the road and traffic situation on NH-44 on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, Weather was erratic in J&K during the last 24 hours as the MeT office said on Sunday that light rain/thunderstorm is likely during next 24 hours. “Light rain/thunderstorm likely in most places of J&K during next 24 hours,” MeT department officials said.
Srinagar recorded 6.5 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 2.1 and Gulmarg 0.4 degree Celsius as the minimum temperature on Sunday.
In Ladakh region, Leh town witnessed minus 0.8 degree Celsius as the minimum temperature.
Jammu had registered 16.1 degree Celsius, Katra 13.8, Batote 8.3, Banihal 6.3 and Bhaderwah 6.7 as the minimum temperature.
