Srinagar-Jammu NH open

Ramban, Jul 3: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of Amarnath Yatra vehicles, private cars, and passenger Light Medium Vehicles (LMVs) and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles on Thursday.

The traffic authorities said traffic movement remained slow due to the breakdown of a few vehicles between the Nashri and Banihal sectors of the highway.

Traffic authorities said hundreds of passenger vehicles carrying Amarnath Yatris, private cars, and passenger LMVs crossed the Nashri-Banihal tunnels towards their respective destinations in Srinagar and Jammu.

Meanwhile, the J&K Traffic Department issued a fresh advisory for Friday stating that, subject to fair weather and better road conditions, Amarnath Yatra convoy and LMVs, passenger and private cars would be allowed from both sides on the highway.

They said given the Amarnath Yatra, the passenger LMVs would be released from 6 am to 12 pm from Nagrota (Jammu) towards Srinagar and from Jakhani (Udhampur) towards Srinagar from 7 am to 1 pm.

Similarly, the cut-off timings for Jammu-bound vehicles from Qazigund, Kashmir have been fixed from 11:30 am to 2 pm.

They said, subject to fair weather and better road conditions, heavy vehicles would be allowed from Jakhani, Udhampur, towards Srinagar after assessing the road and traffic situation on the highway, and no heavy vehicle would be allowed after 8 pm.

They said, given the Amarnath Yatra, no vehicle would be allowed to move before and after the cut-off timings.

Traffic authorities advised passengers and LMV operators to undertake journeys on the highway during the daytime due to apprehension of landslides and shooting stones between the Ramban and Banihal sectors.

Given the Amarnath Yatra, the J&K Traffic Department issued an advisory for the commuters.

“The road users belonging to Reasi, Katra, Udhampur, Patnitop, Doda, and Ramban towns are requested to keep their photo ID card to prove their identification after cut-off timing from Jammu, Udhampur, so that their movement can be facilitated smoothly,” it said.