Early Times Report
Ramban, July 8: The National Highway connecting Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India suffered significant damage amid heavy rain in the valley. A major chunk of the road section that connects T3 and T5 — which serves as a bypass to the Panthyal Tunnel was washed away due to heavy rain on Friday in Ramban.
Important to mention here that road that connects T3 and T5 was inaugurated less than three months ago.
On March 16, 2023, the T5 tunnel, which avoids the landslide-prone Panthyal section, was opened for traffic.
In February 2020, construction on the 880-meter twin-tube tunnel, which is a component of the highway realignment project, began. Authorities claimed that the threat of stones being fired has been eliminated as a result of its completion.
The T5 tunnel at Panthyal was opened for two-way traffic, which will now move smoothly without the fear of disruption from falling rocks, officers claimed after opening of the road for traffic on March 16 this year.
On July 8 the road which connects T3 and T5 has washed away as a result, several sections of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway — such as Mehar, Cafeteria Morh, T1, T2 (Keela Mord & Sita Ram pass), and Panthyal — have become inaccessible
The police officials have closed the National Highway until further clearance from the NHAI authorities. People have been advised to consult the Traffic Control Unit (TCU) before making any travel plans, tweeted Mohita Sharma, SSP Ramban.
Rohit Baskotra, SSP Traffic, National Highway, that NHAI has commenced the restoration work on the old alignment of NH44 to Panthyal in Ramban. This aims to make the roads motorable until the damaged sections are repaired. The direct impact of the closure of the National Highway will be felt by the pilgrims of the annual Amarnath yatra. The Yatra, which started on July 1, was suspended on July 8 due to adverse weather conditions in the valley. It is stopped along the traditional 48-km route of Pahalgam in the Anantnag district and the 14-km Baltal route in the Ganderbal district. |
