Jammu: Traffic movement on a stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway will be restricted during night hours on select dates beginning June 12 to facilitate road repair and resurfacing works in Ramban district ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, officials said on Thursday. An official order reads that vehicular movement between the Nashri and Navyug tunnels will remain suspended from 10 pm to 5 am during the nights of June 12-13, June 14-15 and June 16-17.
The restrictions have been imposed to allow the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to undertake bituminous relaying and maintenance works along the strategic highway corridor. Officials said the repair work is being carried out in preparation for the Amarnath pilgrimage, scheduled to commence on July 3.
To ensure that vehicles do not get stranded near the work sites, authorities have imposed additional movement restrictions on both sides of the highway. Vehicles travelling towards Srinagar from Jammu will not be allowed to proceed beyond Udhampur after 5 pm on the affected dates.
Similarly, traffic from the Kashmir side heading towards Jammu will be stopped from moving beyond Qazigund after 8 pm, the order said. The administration said the temporary curbs are necessary to ensure the safety of commuters as well as personnel engaged in the road restoration work.
Transporters, particularly those carrying perishable goods and livestock, have been advised to plan their journeys in advance and take the scheduled closures into account. Officials also urged commuters to check the latest traffic advisories before undertaking travel on the highway, especially on June 13, 15 and 17, when the overnight restrictions will be in force.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway serves as the only all-weather road link connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country and frequently undergoes maintenance works ahead of the annual pilgrimage season.
