Jammu-Srinagar national highway closed for second day after heavy rains and landslides; over 3,000 vehicles stranded

Jammu: Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for the second consecutive day on Thursday after heavy rains in the Banihal-Ramban section triggered five landslides, leaving over 3,000 vehicles stranded at various places on the route, officials said. [caption id=“attachment_5049681” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] The traffic on the highway was suspended on Wednesday evening after heavy rains triggered shooting of stones from the hillocks overlooking the arterial road in Ramban district, officials said. “Highway is closed. There have been five landslides triggered by rains at various places in Banihal-Ramban section of highway”, a traffic police official told PTI. As a result of which, over 3000 vehicles mostly trucks were stranded at various places on the highway at Jammu, Nagrota, Udhampur, Ramban, Chenani, Batote and Banihal and Kathua, they said. The 270-kilometres highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, was closed around 5.15 pm on Wednesday, the officials said. Heavy rains lashed Jammu-Srinagar national highway throughout the day with Banihal on this side of the Jawahar Tunnel, the gateway to Kashmir, receiving 19.6 mm of rainfall, they said, adding the highway town of Qazigund on the other side recorded 24.8 mm of rainfall during the day. A hailstorm also hit Banihal and adjoining areas. The officials said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working to clear snow from the highway.