Jammu-Srinagar highway partially opened

Only one-way traffic was allowed to move on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Friday due to bottle-necks at many places, a traffic department official said.

Traffic was allowed to move from Srinagar to Jammu.

"No traffic movement will be permitted from the opposite direction. This restriction will also apply to Army and paramilitary convoys using the highway," the official added.

For the last 10 days after the over 300-km long highway was restored for traffic, authorities have been allowing only one-way traffic alternately between the two cities.

There has been severe narrowing of the highway at a number of places especially in the Ramban district during this winter, the official added.

Landslide debris and caving-in of the road were cited as its main reasons.

Meanwhile, after completion of its successful test-run, authorities have closed the 9.2-km long Nashri-Chenani tunnel for its formal inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 2.

Built at a cost of Rs 7,350 crore, the state-of-the-art tunnel has facilities for allowing mobile phones connectivity and others while passing through it.

It has special vents to keep the air inside fresh and smoke-free.

The commissioning of the tunnel that connects the Ramban and Udhampur districts of the Jammu region will save over two hours of travel time between Jammu and Srinagar as it by-passes the 41-km long Nashri-Patnitop-Kund stretch of the road.

--IANS

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