Qazigund, March 31: Scores of passenger vehicles were left stranded on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH44) near Qazigund as mudslides obstructed traffic flow at Kishtwari Pather, causing a day-long gridlock.
Stranded passengers told Rising Kashmir that they have been marooned since morning without any indication of when traffic will resume.
Ravindra Paul, a passenger from Pune, lamented the disruption to his travel plans, says, “We have a train scheduled this evening from Jammu and are still stranded in the Qazigund area. The Kashmir Highway is posing a challenge after our pleasant time in Kashmir.”
Suprena Singh, another passenger, expressed frustration at the unexpected highway troubles despite their enjoyment in Kashmir.
She said, “This is a misery for which even the traffic department cannot be blamed. We came to enjoy Kashmir with family, and it's been three hours since we've been stranded in the Qazigund area. We are repeatedly told that traffic will be restored very soon, but it's already 2 pm and we are still here.”
Notably, the traffic department's updates on Twitter, indicating that LMVs (Light Motor Vehicles) would be allowed on the highway on Sunday subject to fair weather and good condition of road.
However, a late-night update at 1:24 am confirmed the blockage of the highway due to mudslides and shooting stones at Mehad and Kishtwari Pather, with inclement weather exacerbating the situation.
It wasn't until 7:35 PM on Sunday that partial restoration of the highway was announced by traffic police, with efforts underway to clear stranded vehicles between Nashree and Banihal. Commuters were urged to adhere to lane discipline and exercise caution due to the risk of shooting stones between Ramban and Banihal.
A traffic police official told Rising Kashmir that there were heavy shooting stones and mudslides at Kishtwari Pather and other spots. After intense efforts, these obstacles were cleared, and traffic resumed.