JAMMU: The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for the second consecutive day on Wednesday due to landslides triggered by heavy rains in Ramban district, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded, officials said. The traffic on the Mughal Road, which connects the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu Region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district, was also suspended due to landslides, they said. “The Jammu-Srinagar highway is blocked due to fresh shooting stones and landslides at several places in Ramban district”, a traffic official said. The highway was closed for traffic due to shooting stones at Panthiyal on Tuesday. Work is on to clear the highway, the officials said. The situation at Battery Cheshma on the highway is bad as a lot of mud is to be cleared to ensure that heavy vehicles trapped in it are cleared, they said. Over 1,000 vehicles are stranded at various places along the highway, reports said. The Mughal road is blocked due to landslides at Poshana and SSG road blocked at Chini nallah and efforts are on to clear them, they said. However, heavy rains is hindering the cleaning operation, they said.
