Srinagar: Only Kashmir-bound stranded trucks, carrying essential commodities, were on Friday allowed to move on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which reopened late on Thursday evening after remaining closed for seven days due to landslides and shooting stones, triggered by heavy rain.“Traffic was restored on 270-km-long highway, which connects Kashmir with rest of the country, late on Thursday evening after clearing landslides at various places, particularly Dalwas, where a poion of the hill had come down,” a traffic police official told UNI.He said only Kashmir-bound trucks, which were stranded at various places on the highway since March 27, were allowed to move on Friday. “Once the stranded trucks will be cleared fresh essential commodity vehicles will be allowed on the highway,” he added.Hundreds of vehicles were stranded after traffic was suspended on the highway on March 27 following multiple landslides at Cafeteria morh, Monkey morh, Ramban, Battery chashma, Panyal morh, Panthyal, Mompassi, Digdol, Sherbibi, Dalwas and Hingni, triggered by rain.He said the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) pressed into service sophisticated machines and men and clearance the road. Only essential commodities vehicles are allowed to ply on Srinagar-Jammu highway following ban on passenger vehicles to curtail spread of Coronavirus. However, the authorities have allowed State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) vehicles to ferry stranded travelers between Jammu and Srinagar.A senior police officer told UNI that anyone who tries to move on the highway, specially towards Jawahir Tunnel, in private vehicle without genuine pass, his vehicle would be seized and passengers will be quarantined for 14 days at the nearest centre.Only one-way traffic will continue to ply on the highway till further orders on the highway as the road is very narrow and damaged at several places between Ramban and Ramsu where only one vehicle could pass easily. Frequent closure of the highway for the past one week has badly hit the movement of vehicles, particularly carrying essentials and passengers.
