Ramban, May 30: Traffic on the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway (NH-44) was briefly disrupted on Saturday after falling stones and debris near the Nandni tunnel area in Jammu affected vehicular movement following a fresh spell of rain.
Officials said the disruption near Nandni was temporary and traffic was later restored, allowing the highway to remain operational for two-way movement of vehicles.
The vulnerable landslide- and shooting stone-prone stretches between Nashri and Banihal also remained open, facilitating movement of light and medium vehicles in both directions despite intermittent weather concerns.
Traffic authorities said that, subject to favourable weather and road conditions, the highway is expected to remain open for two-way movement of light, medium and heavy vehicles on Sunday as well.
However, commuters faced delays at several locations due to traffic congestion, vehicle breakdowns and the seasonal migration of nomadic herds along the highway corridor.
Heavy congestion was reported on the single-lane stretch between Marog and Kishtwari Pather, where bottlenecks slowed traffic and affected smooth vehicular movement.
Officials said traffic movement was further affected by the migration of nomadic families with livestock along the Nachlana–Banihal stretch. At least five livestock herds crossed the highway on Saturday, while more such movements are expected in the coming days, likely impacting traffic flow on the busy route.
“Traffic movement on the single-lane stretch between Marog and Kishtwari Pather is expected to remain slow due to the continued movement of nomadic herds,” officials said.
Authorities have advised motorists to maintain strict lane discipline and avoid overtaking, warning that wrong-lane driving and traffic violations could aggravate congestion and trigger traffic jams.
Passengers and operators of light motor vehicles have also been urged to travel only during daylight hours. Officials cautioned against night travel due to the risk of shooting stones, landslides, ongoing road construction between Ramban and Banihal, and movement of nomadic herds towards the Kashmir Valley.
Traffic Control Units in Jammu and Srinagar, in coordination with the Ramban district administration, are monitoring the situation closely. Commuters have been advised to check the latest traffic and road status before undertaking travel on NH-44.
Meanwhile, the Kishtwar–Sinthan Top–Anantnag National Highway (NH-244) remained open for vehicular movement.
