Srinagar, April 7: Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) was suspended on Tuesday following a heavy landslide between Digdol and Khooni Nallah.
A traffic police official said vehicular movement from Jammu towards Srinagar and vice versa was stopped as the road remains completely blocked due to the landslide.
Over 200 vehicles are stranded at different points on the 270-km highway, the only all-weather road in the region, officials said.
The highway was reopened for vehicular traffic early today morning after a day-long closure due to landslides.
Officials said that work on restoring the highway was going on but incessant rains in the Ramban-Banihal sector are making the task difficult.
The commuters have been advised not to undertake travel on NH-44 until the highway is fully restored, warning that movement at this stage could pose risks.
Police has urged people not to pay heed to rumours and to verify road status through official Traffic Police platforms, including social media handles and Traffic Control Units (TCUs).
Meanwhile, authorities issued a ‘medium danger’ avalanche warning for the higher reaches of Ganderbal and Kupwara districts in view of a fresh wet spell in the Valley.
“Avalanche with medium danger level is likely to occur above 2600 metres over Ganderbal and Kupwara in the next 24 hours,” an official of the Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority said here.
People living in these areas were advised not to venture into vulnerable areas till the advisory is in force.
The warning was issued in the wake of a spell of rain in the plains and snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir.