Rain, landslide hit restoration work on Jammu-Srinagar national highway

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for fresh traffic for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday as efforts to make the vital road trafficable were hampered by incessant rains and fresh landslide, officials said.

A traffic department official said no fresh vehicles were allowed either from Jammu or Srinagar this morning owing to closure of the highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country.

"Traffic was restored partially on Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Saturday. Stranded vehicles were being cleared but the stretch of land on the upper side of road from Tharad Bridge to the petrol pump short of Balli Nallah started sinking," the official said.

He said the traffic movement has been stopped from both sides till further update.

"People are advised not to undertake their journey on the highway till the restoration work is completed and do not pay heed to rumors," the official said.

Project Manager, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Ramban, Shubam said torrential rains are hampering the efforts to clear the road of the debris.

"A 150-metre landslide at Tharad between Chenani and Udhampur completely blocked one-tube of the highway and is also threatening the second-tube," the official said.

He said men and machines are waiting for improvement in the weather to restart the road restoration work.

Widespread rains lashed wide parts of Jammu region, including Udhampur since early morning, disrupting normal life.

The officials said the circular road, connecting Gujjar Nagar and Sidhra via Panjtirthi, in Jammu city was closed for traffic following shooting of stones from the hillock overlooking the road, also known as "Thandi Sadak".

The road is closed due to shooting of stones and landslides at multiple points, a traffic department official said, advising commuters to opt for alternative routes to reach their destinations.