Srinagar-Jammu highway partially restored for traffic

Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which had been suspended for several days, was partially restored on Monday. Authorities have begun clearing stranded vehicles along the highway.The partial reopening followed Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s extensive tour of Ramban and Udhampur districts on Sunday to assess the widespread damage caused to the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) due to heavy rainfall.

On Monday, the traffic wing of the J&K police announced that the Jammu-Srinagar highway was “partially opened for vehicular movement,” adding that stranded vehicles near the damaged sections are being cleared in a regulated manner.

“Commuters are advised to follow lane discipline; overtaking will cause congestion,” the J&K Traffic Police said on X, urging travellers to check road status through official social media channels.

A senior traffic official said priority is currently being given to fruit trucks stranded at Qazigund in South Kashmir, which are now moving to various parts of the country. Similarly, vehicles carrying essential commodities from Jammu to Kashmir are being allowed to move on priority.

However, traffic officials cautioned that ongoing bad weather continues to damage the highway. They said it was difficult to keep the road open, when the districts are witnessing heavy rainfall.

“The condition of the road at many places is very bad, and we are doing our best to keep it open,” said an official.

The weather department has forecasted heavy to very heavy rainfall on September 2 and 3 over Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur and Reasi districts, with moderate to heavy rainfall expected over Doda, Samba, Rajouri, Poonch, Ramban, Kishtwar, Anantnag and Kulgam (South Kashmir). The intense weather is likely mainly from late night of September 2 through late afternoon on September 3.