Jammu-Srinagar highway closed for traffic for 2nd day

The traffic on the 300-km Jammu- Srinagar national highway -- the lone all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country -- remained suspended for the second consecutive day today due to landslides, with officials giving no clear indication of when the vital road will reopen.
Efforts are on to clear the arterial road of the landslides and restore the damaged bridge near Udhampur, a senior police officer said.
The highway was closed for vehicular traffic yesterday, after a massive landslide struck the highway at Morh Passi in Udhampur district, damaging a bridge and blocking the road.
The bridge had developed cracks under the impact of the landslide, Sanjay Bhagat, senior superintendent of police (national highway), told PTI, adding it was premature to say when the traffic on the highway is restored,

Another landslide struck the highway in Ramsu area of Ramban this morning, and work is underway to clear the highway, the SSP said.
On the damage to the bridge, he said it was being cleared to pave way for the experts to inspect the extent of the damage.

The majority of the stranded vehicles have returned and those waiting for the opening of the road have moved to safer places, added the SSP.
A traffic official said the officers have been directed to ensure that no vehicle is allowed on the highway, and those vehicles which are stranded are not parked in any landslide or vulnerable zones under any circumstances.

"The road stretch between Jawahar Tunnel to Ramban is vulnerable and slide-prone zone, and therefore should be kept free from all sorts of traffic to avoid any eventuality," the official said.