Ramban: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and one-way traffic of Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) for Jammu on Sunday.
Traffic authorities said that during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm on Sunday, the highway remained blocked for 7 hours and 48 minutes.
They said that the highway remained blocked for 3 hours and 39 minutes due to shooting stones on the Mehar Cafeteria stretch for 3 hours and 19 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel, and 30 minutes due to the closure of the Banihal-Qazigund-tunnel.
They said that the movement of traffic also remained slow due to the breakdown of five HMVs and movement of some bovine animals on the highway.
Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic on the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch in Ramban said hundreds of LMVs crossed this stretch on a one-by-one basis for their respective destinations.
They said HMVs released from Qazigund, Kashmir crossed the Banihal-Ramban sector toward Jammu and other respective destinations on the highway.
Meanwhile, J&K Traffic Department issued a fresh advisory for Monday stating that subject to fair weather and road clearance, LMVs would be allowed to move on either side of the highway while HMVs would be allowed from Jakhani, Udhampur to Srinagar after assessing the road and traffic situation on the highway on Monday morning.
Traffic Control Unit (TCU) Udhampur has been asked to liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the HMVs.
The cut-off timings have been fixed from 7 am to 12 pm from Nagrota, Jammu, and from 8 am to 1 pm from Jakhani, Udhampur for Srinagar-bound LMVs.
The cut-off timings for Jammu-bound LMVs have been fixed from 8 am to 12 pm from Qazigund, Kashmir on Monday.
People have been advised to undertake the journeys on the highway only after confirming the status of the road from TCU Jammu, TCU Srinagar, and TCU Ramban.
The security forces have been directed not to ply against the advisory because of the narrow carriageways between Nashri-Banihal.