Rains bring landslides on highway hundreds of vehicles stranded
By: Muzamil Bhat CK
Srinagar
Heavy rains have brought down a lot of mud and landslides at different points on Jammu-Srinagar national highway and it has led to stranding of hundreds of vehicles on the road at different places.
Heavy landslides were triggered by the rains and the government was forced to suspend the traffic immediately and it has resulted in vehicles getting stranded including the trucks loaded with essential commodities.
Jammu-Srinagar national highway gets traffic disrupted whenever there are heavy rains during the summer’s especially in the Ramban sector. Men and machinery have been pressed into service to clear the highway for traffic.
According to PTI reporting about the closure of highway due to the landslides it said in its report that Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for traffic on Saturday due to a massive landslide triggered by heavy rains in Ramban district that left over 500 vehicles stranded, officials said.
The 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was blocked by a landslide at Magarkot belt in the Ramsoo area, they said.
As a result, over 500 heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) and light motor vehicles (LMVs) are stranded at different points of the highway, the officials added.
They said men and machinery have been deployed to clear the area.
Due to a massive landslide at Magerkote, all passengers in LMVs are requested to move back towards Banihal or Ramban from either side, the officials said.
“No new vehicles will be allowed to ply on highway from Nashri towards Srinagar and from Banihal towards Ramban,” an official said.
Police have requested the public to cooperate in this regard and make travel plans only after checking about the reopening of the road.
The landslide may take 10-12 hours to get cleared, they said.
With inputs from PTI
