Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
The Traffic Police Headquarters, Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday issued a fresh traffic advisory for Saturday, stating that vehicular movement on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) will remain subject to weather conditions and road clearance operations following landslides and shooting stone incidents at multiple locations.
According to the advisory, stranded vehicles will be given priority once the highway is cleared. Traffic authorities said inter-district movement of local commuters between the Jammu and Kashmir regions will be facilitated only after stranded vehicles have been cleared. Motorists have been advised to undertake journeys only after confirming the latest road status.
Commuters travelling towards Srinagar in private vehicles have been advised to use the old Jawahar Tunnel route to avoid congestion at the Navyug Tunnel. Likewise, those travelling from Jammu to Batote, Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar and adjoining areas have been asked to take the old Patnitop road.
The advisory said passenger Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will be permitted to ply on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway only during daylight hours. Night travel has been discouraged due to the risk of shooting stones, landslides and ongoing maintenance work at vulnerable stretches. Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) and other load carriers will be allowed to move only after an assessment of road conditions and on the directions of the Traffic Police.
Authorities have urged commuters to avoid travelling without checking the latest highway status and advised them to contact Traffic Control Units before commencing their journey.
Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained blocked for several hours on Friday after incessant rainfall triggered landslides and shooting stones at multiple locations. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded before the road was partially restored, with traffic being cleared in phases.
The advisory further stated that traffic on several other key roads across the Union Territory will also remain weather-dependent. On the Mughal Road, only local traffic and LMVs are being allowed, subject to road conditions. On the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) Road, one-way traffic from Minamarg towards Srinagar has been permitted during notified hours. The Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag Road remains open for passenger vehicles under regulated timings, while movement on the Bhaderwah-Chamba Road is restricted to local traffic.
Traffic authorities have appealed to motorists to strictly follow traffic regulations and avoid overtaking, warning that violations could lead to congestion and delays. They added that further decisions regarding the movement of HMVs and other vehicles will be taken after reviewing the prevailing weather and road conditions.
