Jammu-Srinagar highway reopens for traffic after 2 days

THE HIGHWAY WAS CLEARED OF THE LANDSLIDE AT DIGDOLE NEAR RAMBAN AROUND 4AM AFTER OVER A 40-HOUR-LONG OPERATION

After remaining suspended for two days following a massive landslide at Ramban district, the traffic on the 294-km long arterial Jammu-Srinagar national highway was resumed on Tuesday, officials said.

However, despite undertaking a major operation to clear the snow, the traffic on the Mughal Road, which connects the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district, remained closed for the seventh day, they said.

A massive landslide had covered about 140metre of the highway, besides damaging a portion of the road at Digdole near Ramban since Sunday afternoon, blocking the highway completely.

RELIEF FOR STRANDED COMMUTERS

The reopening of the road came as a big relief for thousands of commuters who had been stranded on the highway since Sunday afternoon.

Soon after the massive landslide, men and machinery were pressed into service to clear the road.

“After inspecting the affected portion, the authorities gave a go ahead to resume traffic at 4am,” an official said, adding that till 8am, all the stranded vehicles in the Nashri -Bannihal sector were cleared.

Till last reports were received, around 4,000 vehicles, including 2,200 light motor vehicles and 1,800 trucks, have crossed the affected spots and moving towards their respective destinations.

“The road clearance machinery has been kept at vulnerable spots where debris are still falling on the road,” said Suresh Sharma, deputy superintendent of police (traffic), Ramban.