Ramban, Dec 9: Vehicular traffic on Srinagar Jammu National Highway through Chenani-Nashri tunnel resumed on Friday evening after having remained suspended for over four hours due to power shutdown.
An official informed Greater Kashmir that the Chenani-Nashri tunnel was closed at 12 noon on Friday for traffic movement due to a scheduled power shutdown.
He said the power supply was restored by the JPDCL at 3.58 pm and traffic resumed through the tunnel at 4.12 pm. Traffic authorities said during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm on Friday, Jammu-Srinagar NH 44 remained blocked for six hours and 54 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel. There was a breakdown of three heavy motor vehicles at various locations on NH-44, they said.
Chief Engineer (Distribution), Jammu Power Distribution Limited (JPDCL) Jammu had announced a power shutdown for executing necessary works on Friday from 12 pm to 3 pm for the replacement of droppers or jumpers in 132 KV &33 KV yard for the maintenance of various types of equipment and 132 KV D/C CSTL.
Due to the power shut down Chenani-Nashri tunnel besides Ramban, Batote, Assar, Chanderkote, Banihal, Sangaldan, Gool, Ramsu, Banihal, Tethar, and Ukhral areas remained affected.
SSP, Ramban Mohita Sharma, who is also holding charge of SSP, Traffic National Highway Ramban, said that traffic resumed from the Chenani-Nashri tunnel after the power supply was restored by the JPDCL.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir traffic police department issued a fresh advisory for Saturday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance, private cars, passenger Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) would be allowed from both sides on the Srinagar Jammu National Highway.
They said heavy motor vehicles would be allowed from Jakhani-Udhampur towards Srinagar after assessing the road and traffic situation on NH-44 on Saturday.
Traffic Control Units Jammu, Srinagar would liaise with Traffic Control Unit Ramban before releasing the traffic on Saturday morning, the advisory added.
“People are advised to undertake journeys on NHW-44 only after confirming the status of the road from Traffic Control Units (TCUs) Srinagar, Jammu, Udhampur, and Ramban on Saturday,” it said.