Ramban, Sep 21: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open on Sunday, the third consecutive day, but only for one-way traffic towards Kashmir.
Officials said that the highway was kept open mainly to clear the backlog of Kashmir-bound vehicles carrying essential supplies, petroleum oil, LPG tankers, and other commodities.
However, traffic authorities said vehicular movement remained slow due to a 250 to 300 metre single-lane, uneven, and unpaved road stretch at Tharad between Udhampur and Chenani.
Traffic on the highway was first disrupted on August 26 after heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides at multiple locations between Udhampur and Banihal.
Although the road was partially restored on August 31, fresh rainfall on September 2 triggered a massive landslide at Tharad, again disrupting movement.
The road was partially reopened on September 10, but continued disruptions have persisted due to the damaged stretch at Tharad.
Since then, authorities have been regulating traffic on a rotational basis between the twin capitals – Srinagar and Jammu.
Last week, the backlog of hundreds of apple-laden trucks was cleared on Wednesday and Thursday for Jammu and other parts of the country.
From Friday onwards, stranded trucks carrying essential supplies for Kashmir have been given priority clearance.
Officials said no passenger light or medium vehicles were allowed to ply between Jammu and Srinagar on Sunday.
However, vehicles from Kishtwar, Doda, and Ramban were permitted towards Jammu.
A Traffic Police officer monitoring the regulation of traffic in Jammu said hundreds of vehicles bound for Kashmir were still stranded at different locations.
He said that the movement of traffic was being allowed in a strictly regulated manner.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Department issued a fresh advisory stating that no heavy vehicles would be allowed to ply towards Kashmir on Monday.
They said passenger Light Motor Vehicles LMVs would be allowed from 7 am to 10 am from Qazigund towards Jammu.
They said LMVs and heavy vehicles from Kishtwar, Doda, and Ramban would be allowed towards Jammu up to 10 am from the Nashri tunnel.
The passenger LMVs for Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts would be allowed from 7 am to 10 am from Nagrota, Jammu, on Monday.
The Traffic Department said that, subject to fair weather and good road conditions, heavy vehicles would be allowed to move towards Jammu from Qazigund, Kashmir, on Monday.
Traffic authorities have advised commuters and vehicle operators not to undertake journeys on the highway on Monday, citing the possibility of congestion at Balli Nullah-Tharad and between Maroog and Kishtwari Pattar stretches of the highway.
