Kashmir Impulse Desk

Ramban, May 17 

The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic on Monday, although vehicle movement was slow along several stretches because of congestion, vehicle breakdowns and the movement of nomadic herds, traffic officials said.

Authorities said that, subject to favourable weather and road conditions, the highway would remain open for two-way movement of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and heavy vehicles on Tuesday as well.

Major congestion was reported between Marog and Kishtwari Pather, where single-lane road conditions created bottlenecks and slowed traffic flow.

The situation worsened after heavy vehicles broke down near Magarkote, causing additional delays, officials said.

Traffic movement was also affected by the large-scale migration of nomadic herds along the Nachlana-Banihal stretch. Officials said around 12 herds crossed the highway on Monday and more crossings were expected in the coming days.

“Traffic movement on the single-lane stretch between Marog and Kishtwari Pather is likely to remain slow due to the ongoing movement of nomadic herds,” officials said.

Authorities urged commuters to follow lane discipline and avoid overtaking, warning that wrong-lane driving could lead to further congestion and traffic jams.

Passengers and LMV operators were also advised to travel only during daylight hours because of risks posed by shooting stones, landslides, ongoing road construction between Ramban and Banihal, and continued livestock movement along the route.

Traffic Control Units in Jammu and Srinagar, along with the Ramban district administration, were monitoring the situation, officials said.

Commuters were advised to check the latest traffic and road conditions before travelling on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.