Srinagar, April 9: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has reopened for traffic after a three-day interruption. Officials confirmed the resumption of vehicle movement on Thursday.
Traffic department officials reported that vehicles can now travel on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The route had been closed due to landslides in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The approximately 300-kilometer highway was shut down on Monday morning due to multiple landslides. Although it was briefly reopened on Tuesday, it had to be closed again due to two significant landslides.
Traffic police managed to clear debris from landslides in areas such as Shalgadi, Banihal, Digdol, Khuni Nala, Karol Bridge, and Chanderkot, allowing over 900 vehicles to proceed.
Despite substantial investments in bridges, flyovers, and tunnels, the highway remains passable only in good weather. Travel time between Srinagar and Jammu has decreased from 10-12 hours to just 5 hours. However, the risk of closure due to adverse weather persists.
Heavy rainfall in the section from Ramsu to Ramban city often leads to rockfalls and landslides, necessitating road closures. Essential supplies, including petrol, diesel, cooking gas, mutton, poultry products, and vegetables, are transported along this highway to the valley. Meanwhile, rail services between the Jammu division and the valley are fully operational.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the rail service between Katra city in the Jammu division and the valley on June 26 last year.
As long as the Srinagar-Jammu highway remains dependent on weather conditions for transporting essential goods to the valley and fruits to national markets, it will adversely affect Kashmir’s economy.
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