Highway hurdles: Landslides disrupt Jammu-Srinagar route

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway, a crucial artery connecting Kashmir with the rest of India, faced a major disruption on Sunday, March 31.

Overnight rains triggered landslides in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district. Consequently, traffic was halted for over 15 hours.

The 270-km-long route is pivotal for the region, being the only all-weather road available.

Officials reported that the landslides occurred at several points. A massive landslide near Banihal and mudslides, along with shooting stones near Ramban town, caused the closure.

Notably, a truck was struck by a rolling rock late Saturday evening in Panthiyal, Ramban. Fortunately, the driver and his helper were unharmed.

Landslides hit several areas. One large landslide was near Banihal. Mudslides and shooting stones occurred near Ramban town.

A truck in Panthiyal, Ramban, got hit by a rock. The incident happened late Saturday evening. Luckily, the driver and his helper were safe.

Efforts to clear the debris began immediately. By around 4 pm on Sunday, the highway was reopened. This allowed hundreds of vehicles, stranded for hours, to resume their journeys.

However, the aftermath of the landslide has prompted a precautionary measure for heavy motor vehicles (HMVs).

Officials have announced a temporary ban on HMVs from 4 am on Monday to 7 am on Tuesday.

This pause is to facilitate urgent repairs and upgrades, especially near the airstrip stretch by Bijbehara in Anantnag district.

During this period, light motor vehicles (LMVs) will be rerouted to an old national highway alignment.

This detour includes Alistop and Doonipora, encompassing areas. Some of them are Batengoo, Khanabal, Padshahi Bagh etc.

Truck drivers, in particular, are advised to postpone their travels along the highway during the specified times.

This incident underscores the vulnerability of the Jammu-Srinagar highway to natural disasters.

Despite the inconvenience, the swift action by officials to reopen the route and implement safety measures is commendable.

Travelers and truck drivers are urged to heed the advisories and plan their journeys accordingly to ensure safety and minimize disruptions.

Image Credit: Rupak Sarkar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Road_towards_Sonmarg.jpg