2-way movement of heavy vehicles restored on Jammu-Srinagar highway

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has successfully restored two-way traffic movement for heavy motor vehicles on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway, ensuring seamless transportation of essential commodities and fruit-laden trucks from the Valley to markets outside, officials said.

The 250-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was on August 26 blocked by multiple landslides and road sinking at several locations, particularly at Tharad Bridge and Balli Nallah in Udhampur district, and Maroog in Ramban district, they said.

Traffic movement on the highway had been severely disrupted following heavy rainfall, flash floods, and cloudbursts during August and September, the officials added.

The highway was disrupted on August 26 and restored for one-way traffic on September 10 after NHAI swiftly mobilised men and machinery to restore connectivity on a war footing, they said.

“Following sustained efforts, the damaged stretches were repaired and blacktopped. The most affected and vulnerable portion near Tharad, between Udhampur and Chenani, approximately 300 meters in length, was fully blacktopped on October 5, ensuring smooth passage for both HMVs and LMVs,” a NHAI official said.

The official said the restoration now enables two-way movement of all types of vehicles, reducing congestion and ensuring uninterrupted flow of traffic along the critical Lakhanpur–Jammu–Srinagar corridor.

“NHAI also requested the local administration on October 9 to resume two-way movement of all types of vehicles on the Lakhanpur–Jammu–Srinagar Highway to ensure smooth traffic flow and avoid congestion along the route,” the official added.

NHAI remains fully committed to maintaining the operational efficiency of the highway, which serves as the lifeline of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, especially during the ongoing fruit season, they said.

“Regular monitoring and maintenance teams have been deployed along the corridor to ensure smooth and safe travel for all road users,” a NHAI spokesperson said.