The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the only surface link between Kashmir and the rest of the country, was reopened on Tuesday for one-way traffic after a two-day long closure due to heavy snowfall and slippery conditions.
Most of the stranded vehicles have been cleared after the 300-km-long highway was reopened. "The highway was reopened for one-way vehicular traffic from Srinagar to Jammu today", a police official said. No vehicle would be allowed from Jammu to Srinagar and most of the Srinagar-bound vehicles have been stopped at Nagrota and Sidhra bypass areas on the outskirts of Jammu city this morning, he said.
The fresh movement of vehicles from Jammu to Srinagar would take place on Wednesday, he said, adding over 200 vehicles are stranded in various places in Jammu and Udhampur districts for their onward movement to Kashmir Valley. The highway was closed due to heavy snowfall in Jawahir tunnel, Ramban and Patnitop belts besides slippery road conditions on the stretch.
An official spokesman had said that one way traffic will be in force on the highway from December 24 till further orders. "In view of slippery conditions on NHW-1A coupled with rain and snowfall and to ensure safety of passengers... especially in lower Munda-Jawahar Tunnel, Ramsoo-Ramban and Patnitop sectors, one way traffic will be in force on the highway from December 24 till further orders", the spokesman had said.
Under this system, one way traffic from Jammu to Srinagar and vice versa will be allowed on alternate days, he said. However, all kinds of passenger vehicles bound for Jammu are required to cross Pantha Chowk by 1000 hours, Lower Munda (Qazigund) by 1200 hours and Jawahar Tunnel upto 1330 hours only for onward journey towards Jammu.
Moreover, the cut-off time for heavy vehicles bound for Jammu at Lower Munda (Qazigund) shall be 1300 hours beyond which no vehicle shall be allowed to proceed towards Lower Munda/Jawahar Tunnel for onward journey. Similarly, on alternate days, all kinds of passenger vehicles (bound for Kashmir from Jammu side) shall have to cross Nagrota by 1100 hours and Udhampur upto 1230 hours only.
The cut-off time for heavy vehicles shall be 1200 hours at Nagrota and 1500 hours at Udhampur, beyond which no vehicle shall be allowed to proceed for onward journey to Kashmir valley, the spokesman said. Beyond the cut-off, LMVs, PSVs etc. if any, shall be sent back to their respective places and heavy vehicles will be parked on the side of the road.
No vehicle, whatsoever shall be allowed to ply from opposite direction, he said, adding this is to ensure that these vehicles cross difficult areas by or before sunset.
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