Jammu-Srinagar road opens after five days

Jammu, July 12

The traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) was restored after five days on Wednesday. A few stretches of the highway had been damaged due to the recent rains in Ramban district after which the traffic movement was suspended, bringing the Amarnath Yatra from Jammu to a halt.

While nearly 5,500 Amarnath pilgrims were allowed to proceed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on Tuesday, the highway was opened for all commuters on Wednesday. A fresh group of 7,805 Amarnath pilgrims left for Kashmir today morning.

19 deaths so far

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• Five Amarnath pilgrims died of cardiac arrest in 24 hours, taking the toll in this year’s Yatra in the South Kashmir Himalayas to 19, officials said.
• Three deaths took place on the Pahalgam axis and two on the Baltal route. pti

Another batch leaves

• A fresh group of 7,805 Amarnath pilgrims left the Jammu base camp for Kashmir on Wednesday morning.
• On Tuesday, 5,500 pilgrims had been allowed to proceed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.

“With strenuous and synergetic efforts of the UT administration and the NHAI, the NH-44 has been fully restored for vehicular traffic in a record time. The stranded vehicles and passengers were cleared on priority,” a traffic official said. Heavy vehicle operators were asked to ensure no overloading. The traffic police will allow tourists and pilgrims from Nagrota in Jammu towards Kashmir from 6 am to 12 noon. Heavy vehicles will be allowed from Jakheni in Udhampur towards Srinagar after assessing the road and the traffic situation on NH-44 and no heavy vehicle will be allowed after 6 pm.

Security forces have also been advised by the traffic police not to ply against traffic plan in view of the possible traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, four Amarnath pilgrims and a driver were injured when their vehicle hit a road divider in Udhampur. The injured were Amar Nath Pandey (60), Sarla Pandey (58), Baij Nath Mishra (58), Sunita Mishra (55) and driver Junaid Muzafar.