Jmu-Sgr Highway reopens after 2-day closure

Srinagar, Aug 1: Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway resumed on Saturday afternoon after remaining closed for two days due to restoration work and inclement weather.

Officials said repair work on the single carriageway near Dewal Bridge in the Samroli area of Udhampur continued amid heavy rainfall. Fresh incidents of shooting stones and mudslides were also reported in the Ramban and Banihal sectors, while the road surface had turned slushy and slippery, prompting authorities to suspend traffic as a precaution.

Following sustained efforts by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Traffic Police and other agencies, the affected stretch was made motorable and traffic was restored in a phased manner.

Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) were released simultaneously from Udhampur and Qazigund after the highway was declared fit for traffic.

Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) stranded on the Kashmir side were also permitted to proceed towards Jammu, officials said.

The highway, which serves as the principal road link between Kashmir and the rest of the country, had remained closed amid heavy rainfall and damage to several stretches.

Authorities, however, are keeping a close watch on vulnerable sections in view of continued rainfall and the possibility of fresh shooting stones, mudslides and landslides.