Jammu-Srinagar National Highway shut after Ramban landslide, Mughal Road reopens

After landslides in the Ramban district shut down the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the Mughal Road connecting Jammu to Kashmir was reopened on Monday, bringing massive relief to the stranded people, reported PTI.

The Mughal road links the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu to Kashmir's Shopian district. The road, which was shut due to inclement weather and fresh snowfall, was reopened to clear the congestion caused by the blockage on the 250 km long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.

Also Read: J&K weather: Torrential rain wreaks havoc in Ramban, 3 killed; schools shut in valley today

Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the national highway, which is the only all-weather road linking Kashmir to the rest of the country, after heavy rainfall and cloudbursts on Sunday led to flash floods, landslides and mudslides in the Ramban district.

Also Read: Jammu-Srinagar highway to open after 6 days: NHAI

Initially, authorities planned to restrict traffic to one way, from Kashmir to Jammu, on the Mughal Road. However, due to the massive congestion, they decided to divert all traffic through Mughal Road and deploy additional police personnel to ensure smooth travel.

The historic Mughal Road was reopened on April 15 for one-way traffic after three months, as it is usually closed during winter.

However, it was closed on April 18 after fresh snowfall in the region. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have now cleared the road to ensure smooth movement of traffic.

Due to increased traffic in Rajouri and Poonch, the Centre has also announced that a tunnel will be constructed to make it an alternative all-weather road to the Kashmir valley.

Landslide in Ramban district

Due to a western disturbance, very heavy rainfall led to landslides, mudslides and flash floods in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, with the Ramban district being the worst-hit.

Also Read: Heavy rain, landslides trigger chaos in J&K's Ramban, 3 dead; relief efforts on

At least three people were killed in the Bagna village area in Ramban after their homes were swept away in a landslide. Two other people also died due to rain-related incidents in other parts of the Union Territory.

The torrential rain and snowfall impacted areas such as Banihal, Khari, Batote, Dharamkund, Seri, Bagna, Chamba, and others as well.

Around 30 houses were washed away and several vehicles were destroyed as well. Due to the severe weather conditions, schools across the Kashmir valley were closed on April 21.

In Ramban, teams from the police, SDRF, civil volunteers, and the Army were actively engaged in rescue and restoration operations. NGOs and local volunteers also helped in ensuring that people were safe and had shelter.