Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 22: The traffic movement on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was restored today while the authorities have restricted movement for want of urgent repair work in Ramban sector on February 24.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic (National Highway), Asghar Malik said the road clearance operation at the landslide-hit Sher Bibi area near Banihal was suspended this afternoon and the movement of traffic was allowed at around 4 pm.
Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the highway after a massive landslide blocked the road at Shelgarhi near Sher Bibi around 2 am on Tuesday. The road clearance operation was hampered by continuous shooting of stones from the hillock throughout the day. The road was restored after remaining closed for 39 hours this afternoon..
“Despite intermittent shooting of stones, the road clearance agencies worked hard since this morning to ensure that the road is opened for one-way traffic which was allowed at around 4 pm (Wednesday),” Malik said.
No fresh traffic was allowed either from Srinagar or Jammu side for the second day this morning as authorities focused on road clearance operation and to clear the stranded vehicles on priority, the Traffic Police official said.
He said some more time is needed to make the road two-way at the landslide hit stretch.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta asked for a possibility of taking a “traffic holiday” for a day every week on the highway till March 15 so that it is better utilised for making some crucial repairs and completing a few essential works for making travel on the road a pleasant experience for the commuters.
Reviewing the traffic scenario on the highway at a meeting with Traffic authorities here, Mehta made it amply clear that in no case should travel time between the two capital cities exceed beyond seven hours on any day for light motor vehicles.
Taking stock of the ongoing construction works, Mehta called for all out efforts to open the T5 tunnel on Panthiyal stretch of the highway by March 15, Jaiswal Bridge by March 31 and double-lane of Ramban Flyover and Banihal Bye-pass by April 15.
Meanwhile, taking note of the directive of the Chief Secretary, The National Highway authorities have declared Feb 24 as traffic dry day between Narshri to Navyug Tunnel and vice versa from 6 am on Feb 24 till 6 am on Feb 25, 2023. Similar, traffic dry day will be observed on March 3 and March 10, 2023, an official spokesman said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
