The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway reopened today after remaining closed for the past two days owing to multiple landslides triggered by heavy rains, officials said.
The highway got blocked at over a dozen places between Udhampur and Banihal on Thursday, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded.
"The highway was cleared for one-way traffic around 10 am... After clearance of the stranded vehicles, the traffic will be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu," Deputy Superintendent of Police, National Highway, Ajay Anand told new agency PTI.
Heavy rains lashed wide parts of Jammu and Kashmir over the past two days, triggering landslides and shooting stones from hillocks overlooking the highway at Panthiyal, Battery Cheshma, Monkey Morh, Mehar, Chanderkote, Sherbibi, Moum Passi, Ramsoo, Digdole, Kela Morh, Maroog and Trishul Morh.
"After hectic efforts by road clearance agencies, the road was opened to traffic this morning, but continuous shooting stones from the hills at Panthiyal and Monkey Morh caused some delay," the officer said on Saturday.
He said passenger vehicles and trucks carrying essential commodities to Kashmir were cleared on priority after restoration of the highway amid improvement in weather.
"The traffic is moving smoothly and we are expecting to allow traffic from Kashmir towards Jammu soon," he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Key Maroge Tunnel On Jammu-Srinagar National Highway Thrown Open Srinagar-Leh Highway Blocked After Flash Floods Hit Jammu And Kashmir Jammu-Srinagar Highway Closed As Heavy Rains Cause Landslides 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court Trump, Musk Groove To Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive' In AI-Video Now Viral "Want To Ask Congress...": Mamata Banerjee Snaps At Ally In Rape-Murder Case US Judge Says "Monopolist" Google Can't Avoid App Store Reforms NASA To Decide Stranded Starliner Astronauts' Route Home By End Of Month Mob Vandalises Hospital During Protest Over Kolkata Horror Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.