After 7-day snow block, one-way traffic resumes on Jammu-Srinagar highway; 1,900 trucks with commodities cross Nashri Tunnel

Banihal/Jammu: One way traffic from Jammu on the highway connecting Srinagar was allowed on Wednesday, a day after the strategic road linking Kashmir with rest of the country was cleared of snow, officials said.

The resumption of traffic on the 270-km highway after seven days closure came as a major relief to the stranded passengers and the people of Kashmir who were facing shortage of essential commodities.

The officials said two workers and a policeman were injured on Tuesday when they were hit by stones from a hillock overlooking the highway at Maroog near Banihal.

Despite light snowfall and rains on Tuesday night, over 2,000 vehicles, including trucks carrying essentials like fuel, ration and vegetables, crossed Jawahar Tunnel after opening of the highway on Tuesday afternoon, they said.

Jawahar Tunnel area experienced a brief spell of snowfall on Tuesday night, while light rains also lashed Banihal-Ramban stretch.

“The traffic was allowed to ply from Jammu to Srinagar while no vehicle was allowed from the opposite direction to ensure smooth movement of the vehicles,” a traffic department official said.

He said the traffic on the highway was plying smoothly when last reports were received, with over 3,000 vehicles including 1,900 trucks carrying various commodities crossing Nashri Tunnel in Udhampur district till 6 am.

Adequate men and machinery were deployed in the 12-km problematic Ramsu-Panthiyal landslide zone to ensure least disruption on the highway, the official said.