Udhampur, September 11: One-way traffic was cautiously allowed on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) on Thursday due to persistently slippery road conditions in the critical Tharad section of Udhampur district. This comes a day after the vital roadway was reopened on Wednesday, following a grueling nine-day closure that had severely impacted connectivity to the Kashmir Valley.
The 270-km highway, the only all-weather link between Kashmir and the rest of the country, had been plagued by extensive blockages since August 26 due to heavy rains, flash floods, and landslides. While briefly reopened on August 30, the highway was forced to close again, resulting in a total of Nine days of complete blockage over the recent period.
Providing a crucial update on the situation, SSP Traffic Adil Hamid explained that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has worked tirelessly to construct a new track at the damaged Thard area within ten days. However, he noted that the surface of this new section remains “tender” (kutcha) and has not yet fully solidified. The current traffic advisory, initially for Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) moving uphill, is designed to allow restoration work to continue unimpeded while permitting limited movement.
In a calibrated move to ensure the supply of essential goods, authorities are also gradually releasing trucks carrying essential commodities in a strict, single-file, lane-by-lane manner.SSP Hamid emphasized that the primary objective is to allow this 150-200 meter vulnerable stretch to dry and harden completely under clear weather conditions.
Once the new roadbed has cured and gained sufficient strength, it will be declared a viable and safe track for Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) to resume normal passage.
