Efforts being made to Reopen J-K Highway for Traffic by Sat Morning: Div Com Jammu
Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Sep 05:
The Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for vehicular traffic for the fourth consecutive day on Friday due to multiple landslides and washing away of road patches.
However, the inter-regional Mughal Road, connecting Jammu region’s Poonch district with Kashmir’s Shopian district, was reopened for vehicular traffic after three days of closure.
“The Jammu-Srinagar highway and Sinthan Road are closed for vehicular movement due to landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones at several places,” a traffic police officer said.
The highway had remained closed due to multiple blockades since August 26 following torrential rains, flash floods, and landslides, but was reopened for traffic for a few hours on August 30. In total, the highway has been closed for ten days.
The closure of highways and other inter-regional roads to Kashmir has resulted in over 3,700 vehicles getting stuck at various places from Kathua to Kashmir. Mughal Road, which was closed for four days, was reopened for traffic, and LMVs including passenger and private cars have been allowed from both sides on the Mughal Road from Jammu towards Srinagar and vice versa via Poonch, they said. However, HMVs carrying essential commodities, limited to six-tyre trucks only, are being allowed from Poonch towards Shopian, they said. Besides this, important highways, including the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch highway, which was closed for three days, have also been reopened for traffic after clearance of landslides, they said. “The highway is still closed for vehicular movement from Jakheni
J-K highway shut
(Udhampur) towards Srinagar and vice versa due to road blockages between Jakheni and Bali Nallah. No vehicular movement shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) towards Reasi, Chenani, Patnitop, Doda, Ramban, Banihal, Srinagar and vice versa,” a traffic police advisory said.
The most affected areas include Shalgadi, Nachilana, Panthyal, Maroog and Peerah in Ramban–Banihal, where retaining walls and stretches of road have been washed away, and a heavy landslide has even entered one tube of the Peerah tunnel.
In the Udhampur sector, around 10 km of road between Jakhani, Thara D, Bali Nallah and Dewal has been affected, they said.
The pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir remained suspended for the 11th consecutive day on Friday.
The yatra was suspended after a landslide on August 26 claimed 34 lives and left 20 others injured.Though the weather has improved significantly with the sun shining brightly after ten days of heavy rains, flash floods, and landslides, the authorities are yet to take a call on resuming the yatra.
“Yatra is still suspended. This is due to the decision taken by authorities last week, keeping in view the safety of pilgrims,” an official said.
The decision to resume the yatra will be taken at an appropriate time after assessing all aspects, the official added.
The suspension is the longest since the COVID-19 restrictions, with authorities prioritising pilgrim safety and conducting restoration work on the damaged pilgrimage track and commercial structures in Katra.
The landslide at Adhkuwari in the Trikuta hills of the Katra belt on August 26 killed 34 pilgrims and injured 20 others. The yatra was suspended the same day until further orders.
Meanwhile, local train services, which were started to facilitate the movement of locals and stranded passengers between Jammu and Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, remained suspended.
Meanwhile, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar on Friday visited the most affected areas to review the restoration work on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Udhampur district and said that efforts are being made to reopen the highway by the next morning so that essential supplies can be facilitated to the valley.
The 270-kilometre-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for vehicular traffic for the fourth consecutive day due to multiple landslides and the washing away of road patches triggered by heavy rain in the Jammu region.
Kumar, who was flanked by senior officers, inspected restoration work at Thard area in Udhampur and was briefed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials on the ground, officials said.
A massive hill movement damaged a 200-metre stretch of the highway, the vital link between Jammu and Srinagar, the officials said, adding that teams are working tirelessly to restore connectivity and ensure safe passage for commuters.
Speaking to reporters, the Div Com said, “We are trying to reopen the highway by tomorrow morning so that essential supplies are facilitated to the valley. Efforts are on.” He said that debris clearance operations are underway on a war footing. “As the weather has improved, restoration work has been sped up.” The men and machinery of the NHAI have intensified their efforts to remove multiple landslides for early restoration of the affected places in the Udhampur-Ramban-Banihal section, they said.
The most affected areas include Shalgadi, Nachilana, Panthyal, Maroog and Peerah in Ramban–Banihal, where retaining walls and stretches of road have been washed away, and a heavy landslide has even entered one tube of the Peerah tunnel.
In the Udhampur sector, around 10 km of road between Jakhani, Thard, Bali Nallah and Dewal has been affected, they said.
Over 3,700 vehicles are stranded at various places in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban and the Kashmir valley due to the closure of the highway, they said.
