After two days, traffic resumes on Jammu-Srinagar highway
Met predicted the possibility of light to moderate snow or rain at many places on Saturday, and chances of heavy snowfall over isolated higher reaches on Sunday
Vehicular movement resumed on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Saturday after two days of closure following landslides triggered by heavy rains and snowfall.
But authorities advised motorists to follow lane discipline and drive cautiously as a part of the arterial road in Ramban district is single-lane and slippery at many places.
Traffic suspended
The traffic on the 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of India, was suspended on Thursday as the road was damaged by a landslide at Kishtwar Patheri near Sherbibi.
This stranded hundreds of vehicles on both sides of the highway.
The snowfall left the road slippery at various places between Ramban and Banihal. Landslides caused by rains blocked the road at Magerkote, Panthiyal, Mehar, Cafeteria Morh and Dalwas areas, officials said.
Debris removal
After hectic efforts, workers cleared the debris and allowed the stranded vehicles to move on Friday afternoon. This led to the resumption of normal traffic from both sides on Saturday morning, the officials said.
A traffic department official said the strategic 434-km Srinagar-Leh National Highway and the Mughal Road connecting the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district were still blocked due to heavy snowfall.
More snowfall
The Meteorological department predicted wet weather till Sunday evening.
It predicted the possibility of light to moderate snow or rain at many places on Saturday, and chances of heavy snowfall over isolated higher reaches on Sunday.
Light to moderate snow was predicted over higher reaches of the Pirpanjal Range and Chenab Valley, with heavy snowfall over isolated higher reaches of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu region.
(With agency inputs)