STATE TIMES NEWS
Ramban: The authorities on Saturday afternoon allowed stranded vehicles on either sides of massive landslide, which hit the Jammu-Srinagar National at Magerkot in Ramsoo area of Ramban last evening.
It is notable that the vehicular traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National highway (NHW-44) came to a standstill after a massive landslide hit the road in Magerkot area of District Ramban on Friday night.
The landslide hit the thoroughfare at around 8:00 PM on Friday bringing the traffic to a standstill.
SSP Traffic NHW-44 Ramban Shabir Ahmed, who visited the spot and supervise the restoration work said that the road stretch was partially restored for stranded vehicles including LMVs, HMVs, Vehicles with perishable.
SSP Traffic said that the Kashmir and Jammu bound vehicles at Ramban and Banihal respectively were allowed to proceed ahead, after that the road will remain closed for the traffic. Complete restoration for two-way traffic will take time.
According to reports, later the downslope portion of
carriageway has also loosened and is caving in rendering the road dangerous. NHAI is planning the restoration works to make the spot traffic worthy. The existing slopes are being consolidated by shotcrete to stabilize the loose material in the up slope.
The road collapse towards the foundation of the abutment of new bridge across the likely opening of tunnel will be protected by filling the gap between road and the abutment to achieve the carriageway.
DySP Traffic Banihal Shamsher Singh said that there is a big portion of rocks dangling at landslide site, which might delay the restoration work further.
According to Traffic Headquarters, there will be no vehicular movement on either side of Jammu-Srinagar NHW (NHW-44) in view of the Restoration work of road which has been damaged due to landslide, continuous shooting stones and caving in of downslope at Magarkote.
SSP Traffic NHW-44 appealed people not to embark on their journey on the highway unless a green signal comes from Traffic Police.
It is notable that the landslide has damaged the portal of an under construction 4-lane tunnel being built near the spot of yesterday’s landslide.
Locals said that the maintenance of the road stretch had been assigned to the construction company CPPPL, which is building a tunnel in the area. Part of the tunnel had also been damaged by the landslide. Meanwhile the restoration work is going on.