Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 11: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed for normal traffic today after a portion of the road caved in near Ramban and the rapair work would take at least five days.
Official sources said that a portion of road near Kela Morh, about 4 km ahead of the Ramban district headquarters, caved in after a concrete retaining/ protection wall of the bridge collapsed, leading to the sinking of the major portion of the road on Sunday evening. Over 2000 vehicles have been stranded on the highway on both sides. The local passengers are moving in the public transport by trans-ship mode after walking through a nallah at the site.
Project Director, National Highway Authority of India, Ramban Sector, PK Phonsa told the Excelsior that the construction company has started restoration work on the damaged portion of the road but it will take at least five days to complete the work. He said about 15 mt concrete protection wall has to be raised just close to a bridge at Kela Morh. On other side of the Tunnel, work is in progress. The patch is very narrow and the task a tough one.
“Round the clock restoration work was in progress and I’m closely monitoring it. The passengers are moving through Nallah at the site to reach their respective destinations. At least five days time has been sought from the authorities Transport and Traffic Police authorities as after raising 15 mt concrete wall and filling nearly 17-20 mt long area, the road will have to be restored, ” Phonsa said.
Meanwhile, the District Administration Ramban and SSP National Highway, Jammu, JS Johar were also monitoring the restoration work. Johar said the restoration work was going on in full swing and all out efforts were being made to ensure the traffic operation on the highway as early as possible.
The highway was opened for traffic only on Saturday after remaining closed for five days following heavy snowfall and multiple landslides triggered by incessant rains.
Most of the Kashmir-bound vehicles had reached their destination when the road caved in near Ramban, leaving only a few hundred vehicles stranded, the officials said, adding most of them, including trucks carrying essential supplies to Kashmir, were stopped at various places including Jammu and Udhampur areas.
The SSP said there is no restriction on the movement of traffic between Jammu-Doda-Kishtwar, Jammu-Ramban, Magerkot-Banihal and Banihal-Qazigund stretches.
The traffic was supposed to ply from Srinagar to Jammu today but was suspended in view of the incident, he said.
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