JAMMU, July 27: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) has been closed for vehicular traffic as it has been blocked due to shooting stones at Mehad Ramban area, informed the Jammu and Kashmir traffic police on Wednesday.
The officials also advised the masses to travel on the route only after confirmation from the concerned Traffic Control Unit (TCU).
“Traffic update: Jammu -Srinagar NHW (NH-44) blocked at Mehad Ramban due to shooting stones. People are advised not to travel on Jammu -Srinagar NHW without confirmation from TCU Jammu/Srinagar/Ramban,” tweeted the Jammu and Kashmir traffic police.
As per the traffic plan of the day earlier, passenger or private cars were to be allowed from both sides on Jammu-Srinagar NHW (NH-44) viz Jammu towards Srinagar and vice-versa, however, with the recent change in weather, the National Highway will be opened for traffic after confirmation of Ramban TCU.
The vehicular movement on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH 44) was stopped on July 23 after the heavy rainfall lashed the Udhampur area of the Union Territory on Saturday.
Earlier, hundreds of trucks remained stranded in the Udhampur district due to the landslides caused because of heavy rainfall in the Ramban sector.
Recent incidents of heavy rainfall in the Union Territory, in July, have caused great damage to lives and property.
The India Meteorological Department in Srinagar issued warnings for heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir.
The weather forecasting department has predicted fairly widespread light to moderate rain and thunderstorm over the Jammu and Kashmir divisions and has also warned of scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rains and thunderstorms for the subsequent two days.
It said that Jammu needs to be prepared as isolated heavy rains, thunderstorms, and lightning in the area can disrupt the traffic, cause landslides, and might result in flash floods, while it also cautioned Kashmir to be aware of the deteriorating weather conditions until the further update.
Overnight heavy rain near the Kahara village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Tuesday resulted in floods that damaged the area and destroyed properties including an educational body and the building and grounds of Tourism.
On July 14, heavy rains and flash floods damaged a foot-over bridge in the hilly areas of Rajouri causing much inconvenience to the people, due to which they were forced to cross the rivulet in waist-deep water for commuting.
The heavy rains in Rajouri had also damaged the crops of the local farmers.
A cloudburst that struck the holy cave area of Amarnath on July 8, resulted in a heavy discharge of water in the ‘Nallah’ adjoining the holy cave and claimed 16 lives. In the tragic incident, at least 36 people were also reported missing.
Amarnath Yatra was partially suspended after the said cloudburst incident and was later resumed from the Nunwan Pahalgam side on July 11.
Another cloudburst triggered by the heavy rains blocked the Srinagar-Leh highway on July 5, after flash floods occurred in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Flash floods also occurred in the Shah Mohallah Kullan area of Kangan in the Ganderbal district on July 3, thus inundating several houses and causing damage. (Agencies)
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