Fresh traffic resumes on Kashmir highway, traffic to ply from Jammu to Srinagar

Srinagar: Fresh traffic was on Wednesday resumed after clearing all stranded vehicles on the national highway, connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, a traffic police official said.
Meanwhile, only one-way traffic will continue to ply on national highway, linking Ladakh region with Kashmir and historic 86-km-long Mughal road linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region,  traffic official told UNI.
He said all the  Jammu bound vehicles, stranded on the highway were cleared till late last night. Large number of vehicles, which had left different parts of the Kashmir valley for Jammu, got stranded on the highway on Monday since night travel on the highway is not allowed to avoid any accident.
Today traffic was allowed from Jammu to Srinagar, he said adding Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) had to cross Jakheni Udhampur between 0800 hrs to 1100 hrs. Later  hundreds of  Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs), including those carrying essentials, left Udhampur for Kashmir. However, HMVs will be allowed to ply till 1800 hrs, he said adding no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction and also deadline.
Traffic on the highway remained disrupted frequently badly affecting essential supply to Kashmir valley and export of fruit from the valley.
Meanwhile, Union Additional Secretary Home, Gyanesh Kumar and Chairman National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) N N Sinha on Tuesday reviewed the      progress on National Highway  4-laning project at Ramban at a high-level meeting.
They also inspected the construction of four laning works from Chanderkot to Nogam Banihal and took stock of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2019 arrangements.
Additional Secretary and chairman reviewed the project wise progress including construction of four Laning ring road / bypass road Jammu, Udhampur to Chenani, Nashri to Ramban and Ramban to Banihal. He directed the NHAI to ensure the maintenance and management of National Highway stretch from Udhampur to Banihal without disruption of transportation of traffic on the vital road link.
While inspecting  the ongoing construction work  of National Highway they directed the concerned agencies to provide smooth and safer passage to traffic especially during the Yatra by maintaining potholes, Blacktopping  drainages, sprinkling of water on road and installation of crash barriers.
The Union Additional Secretary Home directed the authorities to implement interim measures suggested by the three member expert committee for accelerating pace of work besides avoiding the inconveniences of commuters.
He directed the NHAI to place additional Man and machinery at the identified vulnerable points to clear the landslides from the road without delay.
Earlier,      Inspector General (IG) Traffic and  RO National Highway, through a power point presentation, briefed the meeting about progress of construction work of four laning project, status of old alignment of national highway , physical achievements besides bottlenecks.
Underlining the importance of four lane work, he directed the District Administration and construction companies for removing all bottlenecks hampering the pace of work.