Passenger Traffic Resumes on the Reopened Srinagar-Jammu Highway
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Srinagar, April 7 (NationPress) – The crucial Srinagar-Jammu national highway has been reopened for passenger traffic on Tuesday after being closed for a day due to a landslide and falling stones in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Traffic department officials announced this morning that vehicles can now travel in both directions on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44).
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Traffic National Highway, Raja Adil, informed reporters that traffic flow has resumed on the highway following the restoration of this vital route.
Authorities have urged travelers to adhere to strict lane discipline, cautioning that overtaking and driving in the wrong lane could cause traffic jams along the route.
Commuters have been advised to disregard rumors and to check the road conditions through official channels of the Traffic Police, including their social media accounts and Traffic Control Units (TCUs).
This nearly 300 km long highway serves as a lifeline for essential supplies to the landlocked Kashmir Valley, as many basic necessities are still transported via this route.
Products such as LPG, petrol, diesel, kerosene, mutton, poultry, and vegetables are brought into the Valley by tankers and trucks, despite the operational all-weather rail link between Jammu and Kashmir.
Until cargo trains begin transporting essential goods and produce from the Valley to national markets during peak season, dependency on the highway will persist.
Thanks to extensive renovations and upgrades, including new bridges, flyovers, and tunnels, the travel time between Srinagar and Jammu has been reduced from 10-12 hours to just five hours.
Nevertheless, the highway remains highly vulnerable to weather conditions, particularly the unpredictable stretch from Ramsoo to Ramban town. Landslides and falling stones due to rain frequently obstruct the highway in this area, and restoration efforts can sometimes take several days.