- Srinagar Jammu National Highway open for traffic
J&K received moderate rain showers on Sunday while the Meteorological Department (MeT) predicted gradual improvement in weather from Monday. Many districts received early morning showers. Since the weather improved from the afternoon, the sky was cloudy all day with some sunshine.
They said that early morning showers did not lead to disruption in Amarnath Yatra as the yatra went on smoothly. The MeT officials forecasted gradual improvement in weather from Sunday. They said that the weather would be cloudy, but there is no major activity predicted.
However, the officials have predicted isolated thunderstorms across J&K until July 26 with continuous improvement. Director MeT, Sonam Lotus told that from Monday, weather across J&K would improve and temperature would also stay around normal.
“Today, many districts across J&K received rain showers before noon. However, there was an improvement in weather throughout the day, particularly post-noon. Due to improvement in the weather, the yatra also went on smoothly. For the next 24 hours, the weather will improve. However, there will be isolated showers across J&K,” he said.
Lotus said that there was no major warning for landslides, mudslides, or flash floods as the weather would show gradual improvement. The MeT officials said that the temperatures would also come to normal as the weather improves.
On Sunday, Srinagar recorded 24.5 degrees Celsius maximum temperature and a minimum of 19.3 degrees Celsius. Jammu recorded 35.6 degrees of maximum temperature while a minimum of 24.5 degrees Celsius. Leh recorded 21 degrees Celsius maximum and 9.8 degree Celsius minimum temperature.
As per the MeT, J&K would witness light to moderate rain and thundershowers in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Srinagar Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of vehicles carrying Amarnath pilgrims, tourists, and passenger light-medium vehicles and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles for Jammu on Sunday.
However, traffic authorities said, “Srinagar Jammu National Highway remained blocked for 24 minutes due to a landslide at the Shalgari area near Banihal on Sunday.” They further said the traffic movement remained slow due to the breakdown of a few heavy vehicles and due to the single road stretch at Dalwass, Mehar-Cafeteria and at some other places between Nashri and Banihal.
Traffic officials in Ramban said that hundreds of light, medium vehicles carrying Amarnath Yatris, tourists, private cars, and passenger vehicles plied on either side of the highway without any interruption. They said that heavy vehicles released from Qazigund, Kashmir were heading towards Jammu in a regulated manner on the highway.
Meanwhile, the J&K traffic department issued a fresh advisory for Monday stating that subject to fair weather and good road conditions, vehicles ferrying Shri Amarnath pilgrims, tourists, and private cars, passenger light vehicles would be allowed to ply on both sides of the highway on Monday.
The advisory said that after assessing the road traffic situation heavy vehicles would be allowed from Jakhani-Udhampur towards Kashmir on Monday. It said that no heavy vehicle would be allowed to cross Jakhani-Udhampur after 6 pm towards Kashmir.
