Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 19: The vehicular traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was restored late this evening after remaining suspended for over 12 hours at Panthyal area of Ramban due to continuous shooting of stones but was again blocked at Trishul Morh due to shooting stones incidents.
Official sources told the Excelsior that highway at Panthyal in Ramban was blocked since 8 am today due to frequent shooting stones incidents, which kept occurring at about 8 in the evening despite clear weather. However, they said very light showers had occurred this morning in Ramban area.
“Big and small stones were continuously falling off from the loosen soil of the hillocks along the highway at Panthyal due to which the already single lane highway had been blocked,” sources said, adding, a large number of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the highway in Ramban area, particularly in Maroog, Battery Chasma, Anokhi Fall and Digdol areas.
DySP National Highway, Ramban, Ajay Anand told Excelsior that shooting stones did not stop even for a minute since 8 am when they started falling. He said around 750 trucks carrying essential commodities from Jammu to Kashmir and about 110 light motor vehicles carrying people discharged from quarantine centers or people travelling on urgent passes had been stranded on this side of the highway at Panthyal.
He said as the incidents of shooting stones stopped at Panthyal at about 8 pm, the traffic was restored at that point of highway by making a narrow path after clearing the debris and most of the vehicles carrying passengers were cleared while Kashmir bound trucks were also crossing the point.
“However, the NH has been further blocked at Trishul Morh, at about 500 metres away from Ramban, due to continuous shooting stones incidents which are still occurring,” the officer said, adding, the men and machinery of National Highway Authority of India are on the spot and if the incidents of shooting stones stop, the traffic will be restored within half-an-hour.
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