Jammu-Srinagar Highway to open for stranded vehicles on Tuesday

Jammu, Jan 25 The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway will be opened on Tuesday just to facilitate the movement of vehicles stranded between Ramban and Jawahar Tunnel towards Kashmir, officials said on Monday.

"Tomorrow, subject to fair weather and better road conditions, only the vehicles stranded between Ramban and Jawahar Tunnel will be allowed to move towards Srinagar, including on the Ramban-Banihal (local traffic) stretch," traffic police said. "No vehicle would be allowed to move from Jammu or Udhampur towards Srinagar."

The road was thrown open for one-way traffic with the installation of a bailey bridge on January 16 after it remaining closed for a week due to the collapse of a bridge at Kela Morh near Ramban, 150 km from Jammu.

The traffic police said that the weight-bearing capacity of the bailey bridge is less than 40 metric tonnes.

"Security forces are advised/requested not to ply against advisory/traffic plan in view of traffic congestion on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and narrowness of te bailey bridge. They may ply from Jammu towards Srinagar after confirming the status of the National Highway. No vehicle shall be allowed in the opposite direction," traffic police said.

The highway is the main road link of the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country. It is the lifeline of Kashmir as trucks laden with essential supplies for the Valley move through the highway.

The Mughal Road, which is the second road link connecting the Kashmir Valley with the Jammu region, is closed due to accumulation of snow.

( With inputs from IANS )