Kashmir Impulse Desk

Ramban, July 22

The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed on Wednesday after heavy rainfall triggered landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at several vulnerable locations, disrupting the movement of hundreds of vehicles.

Traffic was stopped from both ends, with vehicles halted at Udhampur for the Srinagar-bound carriageway and at Qazigund for traffic heading towards Jammu.

Officials said overnight rainfall caused fresh landslides and debris accumulation at several locations along the Udhampur-Nashri-Ramban-Banihal corridor.

Traffic had initially been regulated through available stretches, but continuing rainfall and the risk of further landslides forced authorities to suspend movement as a precaution.

The closure stranded passenger vehicles and trucks at various points along the highway.

Traffic authorities urged motorists to avoid travelling until the road was declared safe.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Raja Adil Hamid inspected vulnerable locations and said traffic police, the National Highways Authority of India, district administrations and other agencies were working together to clear debris and restore connectivity.

Men and machinery were deployed at several locations, officials said, but continuing rainfall was slowing restoration work.

The highway closure came amid wider disruption in Ramban, where rain-triggered landslides have affected roads and infrastructure and complicated emergency response operations.

In the neighbouring Pir Panjal region, the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch highway was blocked for more than three hours after a major landslide struck the Madana stretch in Surankote.

The debris was cleared after several hours, allowing traffic to resume.

The Thanamandi-Rajouri road was also temporarily blocked by a landslide at Fatehpur, while the Kotranka-Khawas road reopened after remaining closed for three days.

The Dehra Ki Gali road, which connects Rajouri and Poonch and provides access to the Mughal Road, remained closed because of extensive damage caused by recent floods.

Officials said repairs could take several days.

In Ramban, authorities reported that 24 roads remained closed, including 13 roads maintained under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and 11 under the Public Works Department.

Six kutcha houses suffered partial damage and one pucca house was completely damaged, while 39 people were evacuated as a precaution.

The district also reported disruptions to 20 water supply schemes and damage to electricity infrastructure.

Authorities urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and remain cautious near landslide-prone and shooting-stone-prone stretches.