Jammu-Srinagar highway reopened for one-way traffic

Banihal (JK): The Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, was re-opened for one-way traffic this morning after being closed due to heavy snowfall and rain, officials said. 

The traffic was suspended last evening on the highway. “The highway was cleared of all hurdles and traffic was allowed from Srinagar to Jammu this morning as per schedule,” an official of traffic department told PTI. 

He said while intermittent snowfall was reported between Jawahar Tunnel to Banihal, the other stretch of the nearly 300 km highway was lashed by heavy rains yesterday triggering landslides at several places. After the weather improved, men and machines were pressed into service and the landslides between Banihal and Ramban were cleared, paving the way for reopening of the highway, the spokesman said.

He said no vehicle would be allowed to ply from Jammu to Srinagar on the highway today. The traffic was restricted to one-way after being closed for four days due to heavy snowfall and landslides on February 16. The traffic is plying alternatively on the highway from the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu.