Highway shut, 3,000 vehicles stranded as rain pounds J&K
Landslides, shooting stones at 36 points snap road link between Jammu and Srinagar
JAMMU: Heavy rainfall and snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir triggered landslides and shooting stones at around 36 points along the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Wednesday.
Around 3,000 vehicles were stranded on the strategic highway. A senior police officer said mudslides, landslides, slush and shooting stones had blocked the highway at 36 places in Ramban and Udhampur districts.
The national highway was blocked at Dhalwas, Duggi Pulli, Chanderkot, Mehad, Cafeteria Mod, Battery Chashma, Seri, and Panthyal.
Senior superintendent of police ( SSP traffic, national highway) Shabir Malik said, “Vehicular traffic was suspended between Jammu and Srinagar on Tuesday afternoon due to landslides and shooting stones after heavy rainfall in the area.” “In the afternoon, we removed a few light motor vehicles from the highway. Around 1,700 heavy motor vehicles and 100 light motor vehicles are still stranded in Ramban. Most vehicles were either diverted to Jammu or Srinagar or moved to safer places in Ramban district,” he added.
Authorities said the highway was likely to be restored by Thursday evening and traffic will be restored on June 24 (Friday), subject to fair weather conditions.
Highway washed away in Udhampur
A stretch of the highway was also washed away in Samorli area of Udhampur district.
Udhampur deputy superintendent of police (traffic) Himmat Singh said, “A 150 to 200-ft highway stretch was washed away near Dewal Bridge in Samroli area of Udhampur district. A massive landslide blocked the highway and also swept away a portion of the road. No casualties or losses were reported in the incident.”
“It will take two days to clear the road. We appeal commuters to avoid travelling on the national highway for two days. Around 80-100m of the road was washed away and a JCB machine was also swept into the river,” he said.
Two trucks overturn
Two trucks also overturned in the Battery Chashma area after they were hit by landslides and mudslides.
The Ramban district administration arranged food and lodging for the stranded commuters in government primary and middle schools.
Some stranded commuters were also sent to the sub divisional magistrate’s office in Ramsu, a mosque in Magerkote and Raghunath Mandir’s Community Hall in Ramban.
In a tweet, the J&K traffic department said that Mughal Road and SSG Road were blocked due to landslides at Poshana and Chini Nalla. Traffic movement was later resumed on SSG Road.
A defence spokesperson said, “Due to landslides between Ramban and Nachlana , the army deployed two rescue teams from Digdol to evacuate stranded commuters and take them to safe locations.”
“The Army also provided hot meals and security to nearly 300 people, including 100 children and women, who were stuck near Ramsoo on Tuesday night,” said a Defence spokesperson.
“The army is also assisting in the recovery of vehicles that had skidded off the road. However, incessant rains since Tuesday night and multiple landslides on the Chanderkot-Banihal stretch have been hampering rescue efforts,” he added.
Vaishno Devi pilgrimage continues
The pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi in the Trikuta Hills of Reasi district was not interrupted due to inclement weather.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board chief executive officer Anshul Garg said, “Though rain also lashed the shrine on Tuesday, the pilgrimage continued smoothly.”
“Helicopter and battery car services continued to run,” he added.
50 passengers stranded at Sinthan Top, rescued
Around 10 vehicles with 50 passengers were also stranded at Sinthan Top, which witnessed intermittent spells of rain and snow on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
A police spokesperson said, “A JCB was used to clear the track. All 50 stranded passengers were rescued.”