Jammu-Srinagar highway closed for second straight day

QAZIGUND — Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar highway remained closed for the second consecutive day on Wednesday after heavy rains triggered landslides and shooting stones, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded at various places on the route, officials said.

“Highway is closed. There have been several landslides, shooting stone incidents triggered by rains at various places in Banihal-Ramban section of highway,” a traffic police official said.

The highway was closed for traffic due to shooting stones at Panthiyal on Tuesday. “As a result, hundreds of vehicles are stranded at different points on the highway,” he said.

The official added that the situation at Battery Cheshma on the highway is bad as a lot of mud is to be cleared to ensure that heavy vehicles stuck there are cleared.

“Men and machinery have been deployed to clear the area for the traffic,” officials said.