Jammu-Srinagar national highway reopens for light vehicles after 2 days

Banihal/Jammu, May 1 (PTI) The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was on Wednesday reopened for light motor vehicles (LMVs) after remaining closed for the past two days following multiple landslides triggered by heavy rains in Ramban district, officials said. Heavy motor vehicles are not allowed to ply on the highway for the time being as the road clearance and widening operation is still on, a traffic department official said.

He said the LMVs were released on the highway from both sides around 9.30 am after debris were cleared at Mehar, Dalwas and Magerkote.

The opening of the 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, provided relief to hundreds of people, including tourists, who were stranded in the twin capital cities following its closure.

Multiple landslides, mudslides and shooting stones from the hillocks blocked the highway at nearly a dozen places between Nashri and Banihal tunnels during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, prompting suspension of the traffic, the officials said. Meanwhile, the Mughal road — an alternate road linking Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district — remained closed for the fifth day on Tuesday owing to snowfall in Peer Ki Gali and adjoining areas, they said.

The traffic on the road usually remains closed during winter months due to snow accumulation. The road was recently cleared for one-way traffic but fresh snowfall between Friday and Monday again closed it.