According to officials, traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained suspended for the second day on Sunday as authorities stepped up efforts to restore the road amid improved weather conditions. Banihal/Jammu restoration work was also underway.
After overnight heavy rains that caused multiple landslides and washed away a portion of the nearly 40-meter road stretch near the Panthiyal tunnel in the Ramban district, the 270-kilometer highway—the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country—was closed to traffic on Saturday.
Over 3,500 vehicles, including those transporting Amarnath pilgrims from Jammu to Kashmir, were left stranded at various locations due to the highway’s closure.
According to officials, the highway was partially reopened for stranded vehicles following frantic efforts, with concerned agencies connecting an old road alignment and clearing the debris.
Yet again nonetheless, they expressed sinking of street at Chamba close to Seeri and new avalanches at Mehar and Cafeteria Morh constrained the specialists to suspend the traffic.
Senior officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), including Ramban Deputy Commissioner Massarat-ul-Islam and Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic National Highway Rohit Baskotra, visited the problematic locations, including Panthiyal, to inspect the ongoing works.
“War-like efforts are being made to ensure the highway’s early opening.” As work on a bridge continued, a temporary arrangement was made for the damaged portion of the road near Panthiyal. The specialists are dealing with an arrangement to make the super durable extension interfacing T3 and T5 burrows motorable to permit traffic through T5 burrow bypassing Panthiyal slide,” NHAI Task Chief Parshutam Kumar told PTI.
He said that filling and grading are being done so that traffic can use the newly built bridge over Panthiyal nullah.
“Different organizations are working around the clock to ensure that the highway is restored as soon as possible. We demand individuals to know the state of the street from the traffic division prior to beginning their excursion,” SSP Baskotra said.
He stated that all of the pilgrims who have become stranded on the highway are secure and receiving all facilities.
An engineer for a private construction company named Ajay Kumar stated that they anticipate providing an alternate road near the Panthiyal tunnel by this evening.
