Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have allowed only one side of traffic for light motor vehicles (LMVs) on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway due to slippery road conditions, officials said.
The Tharad section in Udhampur district remained the main trouble spot. The highway was reopened for traffic on Wednesday after being closed for nine consecutive days.
The 270-km highway, which is the only all-weather road linking the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country, was first shut on August 26 due to landslides and flash floods triggered by incessant rains and cloudbursts in the region.
Though it was briefly reopened on August 30, it was closed again after the advisory. In total, the highway had remained blocked for 14 days.
A traffic department advisory stated, “Subject to fair weather and good road conditions, only one-way traffic shall be permitted for light motor vehicles (LMVs) from Jammu towards Srinagar on the highway. These vehicles shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu).”
The advisory further said the Jammu-Srinagar highway had not been fully restored at the Tharad stretch in Udhampur.
He said “Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) traffic was allowed on a trial basis, but due to the slippery surface of the road, vehicles got jammed and were pushed through JCBs and loaders throughout the day.”
Due to the wet surface at this stretch, the movement of heavy motor vehicles cannot be permitted due to severe risk factors. Meanwhile, traffic is plying on the Mughal Road, the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumari Road, and the Sinthan Road.
Also Read: Jammu-Srinagar national highway shut after landslides
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