Jammu-Srinagar NH reopens for one-way traffic

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was reopened for one-way traffic Wednesday after authorities cleared the landslide which had struck the highway in Ramban district, a traffic department official said.

The landslide had blocked the 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, at Anokhi fall around 1.30 am but after the road clearance operation was completed at 9.15 am, Jammu-bound vehicles were allowed to ply, the official said.

He said the traffic was going on smoothly when last reports came in although the weather remained cloudy. 

Hundreds of Jammu-bound vehicles were left stranded on the highway on Tuesday due to shooting of stones from the hillock overlooking the highway at Panthiyal, also in Ramban district.

Accordingly, authorities decided to allow traffic from Srinagar to Jammu on Wednesday as well.

The traffic on the highway usually plies from the twin capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu alternatively but heavy snowfall, multiple landslides and shooting of stones forced closure of the highway for six days from January 21.

A spokesman of the meteorological department forecast wet weather in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir during the next 48 hours and said it might also affect the highway especially Banihal-Ramban axis Wednesday night and Thursday.

Chilly conditions prevailed in Jammu as the Sun remained hidden behind the clouds which, otherwise, led to marked improvement in the night temperature. 

Jammu, the City of Temples, recorded a low of 7.7 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night's 4.1 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said adding the night temperature in the city remained just 1.1 degree below normal during this part of the season.

After reeling under sub-zero temperature after the recent snowfall, the highway town of Banihal recorded a minimum of 0.7 degrees Celsius, nearby Batote 1.2 degrees Celsius and Bhaderwah in Doda district 0.6 degrees Celsius.

Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, recorded a night temperature of 7.4 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.