Traffic flow along the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway was halted on Sunday morning due to ongoing road widening activities in Ramban district. The suspension was implemented late Saturday night to facilitate the expansion of the roadway to two lanes at specific trouble spots like Dalwas, Mehar-Cafeteria, Panthiyal and Nachlana, situated between Nashri and Banihal tunnels, according to an official statement.
The decision to suspend highway traffic for 14 hours starting from 10 pm on Saturday was made to prioritise commuter safety. Various incidents such as landslides, mudslides and stone falls have caused extensive damage to the road at more than a dozen locations in Ramban. Consequently, traffic has been restricted to one-way flow on the highway since February 26, the statement mentioned.
Over the past two weeks, with traffic alternating between Srinagar and Jammu, travellers have encountered significant delays, particularly in areas like Dalwas, Mehar, and Nachlana.
“The road widening work is in progress at many places on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. People are advised not to undertake journeys between Nashri and Navyug (Banihal) Tunnel till the restoration work is completed,” a spokesperson of the department said.
With inputs from PTI.