Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 19: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which got blocked last night due to landslides triggered by heavy rainfall, was reopened this afternoon. However, chaos and confusion remained all along the highway till late tonight with the vehicles moving at snail’s pace.
Reports said that incessant rains triggered landslides at Nihad, Seri and Kela Morh thereby blocking the highway at around 12.30 last night. In the morning, Border Roads Organization (BRO), which is responsible for the maintenance of the highway, pressed its men and machinery into service to clear the landslide.
Due to closure of the highway, thousands of vehicles including those carrying Amarnath pilgrims got stranded at different places. The highway was restored for vehicular movement at around 2 pm following which Traffic Police started clearance of the stranded vehicles.
However, due to lack of coordination between the Traffic Police authorities deployed on the highway and at Jammu and Srinagar cities, there was complete chaos and confusion till late tonight with the vehicles moving at snail’s pace.
Several passenger vehicles, which left Ramban at 2 pm following reopening of the highway, could not reach Jammu till late tonight because of jamming at different places.
Meanwhile, four shops and two dhabhas near Shan Palace, Ramban suffered minor damages due to landslides.
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