Jammu: The efforts of the National Highway Authority of India to restore traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was affected by landslides following heavy rains, were once again hampered. The National Highway remained closed for the third day today due to heavy rains, officials said.
The pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine located in the Trikuta Hills also remained suspended for the 13th consecutive day, officials said, while the Border Roads Organisation restored traffic by bypassing the damaged section on the Basohli-Bani road in Kathua district.
A traffic department official advised people not to travel on the arterial road until the road is fully restored. “The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is still closed for vehicular traffic,” he said.
Shubham, project manager of the Ramban sector of the National Highways Authority of India, said heavy rains have again hampered efforts to clear the 250-metre stretch of the highway in Thard in Udhampur district, which is buried under a hill.
“Explosives were used to break up large rocks to ensure speedy restoration of traffic on the highway,” he said. “Despite the rain, workers are working to clear the debris, but the highway is moving at a slow pace.”
Traffic on the highway, which connects Kashmir to the rest of the country, was suspended on September 2. Traffic was partially restored two days after the landslide. However, vehicles have been stuck there for two weeks.
A Meteorological Department spokesperson has predicted light rain or thundershowers at many places in Jammu and Kashmir on the late night or morning of September 7 and 8, along with moderate rain or thundershowers at some places in Jammu division.
Officials said that the pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage site atop the Trikuta hills in Reasi district was suspended. The pilgrimage was suspended hours before a landslide caused by heavy rain on the old road in Adhkuwari on August 26, in which 34 people died and 20 others were injured.
Meanwhile, the BRO has restored traffic on the Basohli-Bani road in Kathua district, providing relief to the stranded people. “A section of the road from Basohli to Bani was washed away due to incessant rains, which led to a major breach in the road at Tikri bend, 47 km from Basohli.
A section had to be completely cut to bypass the damaged section of the road,” PRO Defence Jammu said in a post on X. He said the link road had been restored, which restored connectivity from Basohli in Kathua to Bhaderwah in Doda district.