For the fourth day in a row, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway—a vital route that connects Kashmir to the rest of the nation—remains closed. The 270-kilometer stretch has been blocked by landslides at over a dozen locations in the Ramban district, trapping over a thousand vehicles.
Restoration Work Is In Progress; Construction Employee Died in Landslip
The highway was again blocked on Wednesday due to a new landslide at Kishtwari Pather, near Banihal, despite some restoration having taken place. Deshpaul (31), a construction worker, perished in a landslip, highlighting the difficulties in reopening the vital transportation route.
After the highway was closed on Monday, restoration work is still being done. Even though some traffic was back on Wednesday afternoon, there was still a new landslip at Kishtwari Pather, which is close to Banihal, which made it difficult for cars to move freely.
"The highway is still blocked due to major landslides at Kishtwari Pather and Banihal, with intermittent shooting stones at several places between Nashree and Banihal," stated the Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police. Until the road is cleared, the authorities advise people to stay off the route.
Traffic update at 1100 hrs@JmuKmrPolice@JKTransportDept@OfficeOfLGJandK@Divcomjammu@DivComKash@ZPHQJammu@diprjk@ddnews_jammu@ddnewsSrinagar@ddnewsladakh pic.twitter.com/cm6ikgkc98— J&K Traffic Police (@Traffic_hqrs) February 22, 2024
Unfortunately, the challenging conditions have resulted in a tragic incident. Deshpaul (31), a construction worker from Uttar Pradesh, lost his life in a landslide along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Thursday morning. The incident occurred outside his company headquarters near Seri in Ramban district around 8.30 am when he was on his way to the office mess for breakfast.
Restoration work is underway but will take some time, according to a traffic department official. The highway's closure highlights the effects of several landslides between Ramban and Banihal brought on by intense rains, which have severed the vital connection that connects Kashmir with the rest of the nation. As they attempt to reopen this crucial transport route, authorities are asking the public to exercise caution and patience.
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