The traffic on the highway was suspended on Wednesday evening after heavy rain triggered shooting of stones from the hillocks overlooking the arterial road in Ramban district, officials said. Tribune file

Jammu, November 28

Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for the second consecutive day on Thursday after heavy rain in the Banihal-Ramban section triggered five landslides, leaving over 3,000 vehicles stranded at various places on the route, officials said.

The traffic on the highway was suspended on Wednesday evening after heavy rain triggered shooting of stones from the hillocks overlooking the arterial road in Ramban district, officials said.

“Highway is closed. There have been five landslides triggered by rain at various places in Banihal-Ramban section of the highway,” a traffic police official told PTI.

As result of which, over 3,000 vehicles, mostly trucks, were stranded at various places on the highway at Jammu, Nagrota, Udhampur, Ramban, Chenani, Batote, Banihal and Kathua, they said.

The 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was closed around 5.15 pm on Wednesday, the officials said.

Heavy rain lashed the Jammu-Srinagar national highway throughout the day with Banihal on this side of the Jawahar Tunnel receiving 19.6 mm of rainfall, they said, adding that the highway town of Qazigund on the other side recorded 24.8 mm of rainfall during the day.  A hailstorm also hit Banihal and adjoining areas.

The officials said the Border Roads Organisation is working to clear snow from the highway. PTI