Jammu-Srinagar National Highway reopens for traffic

Srinagar, Sep 16: In a boost to relief efforts in the flood-ravaged

Valley, the Jammu-Sringar National Highway today reopened for traffic after remaining closed for 13 days due to landslides triggered by incessant rains. Engineers of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Army restored the vital road link.

"After sustained effort by the BRO and Army Engineers, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has been opened today," a Defence spokesman said.

He said multiple landslides were cleared with simultaneous deployment of engineers and specialist equipment coordinated by the Chief Engineer of Northern Command Headquarters of the Army based at Udhampur to restore this vital road.

"The Highway was reopened for vehicular traffic after remaining closed due to landslide and washing of a portion of Highway in Ramban district," a police officer said. On the intervening night of September 2 and 3, a five-km road patch was washed way in flash floods besides multiple landslides, sinking of road and flooding at various places in Ramban district. "The Highway was reopened for only Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs)", he said.

Over 3000 to 4000 vehicles, particularly trucks carrying supplies had been stranded on the Highway.

Earlier, the Military Engineers had restored the land link to flood-hit Kashmir Valley from Ladakh side on September 9 and cleared Sinthan Pass route via Kishtwar on September 13.

PTI