AMN
The 270 km long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH44), the only all weather road connecting the Kashmir valley with rest of the country remained closed for second consecutive day today. Our Jammu Correspondent reports that the strategic National Highway was closed on Monday night amid landslides and shooting stones in Ramban district, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded on the national highway.
The landslides and shooting stones incident between Ramban to Banihal has shut down the National Highway and the major landslide and shooting stone activity took place at Shalgadi, near Banihal in Ramban district. Hundreds of vehicles are stranded on the National Highway at various locations on both sides. However, the road clearance agencies have been pressed into the service to clear the debris but the continuous landslide and shooting stone activity have been hampering the road clearance operation.
The Ramban district administration and Himalayan Quick Reaction Team (QRT) Ramsoo has made accommodation and dinner arrangements for stranded passengers on the National Highway. Around 100 stranded passengers have been accommodated in Rahat Centres along the National Highway in Ramsoo, Banihal & Ramban and given food and blankets by the administration.
The authorities have advised the commuters to undertake the journey on the National Highway only after confirming the status of the road from Traffic Control Units of Ramban, Jammu and Srinagar.