Landslides block Jammu-Srinagar national highway

Jammu: Landslides triggered by incessant rain on Saturday blocked the Jammu-Srinagar highway, leaving 3,000 vehicles stranded, according to traffic department officials.

The officials said over 1,000 vehicles were cleared from Srinagar to Jammu on Friday after which landslides and shooting stones at multiple places in Ramban district again blocked the highway.

"It is heavily raining in Udhampur and Ramban districts along the Jammu-Srinagar highway. For the safety of the travellers, no traffic is being allowed this time.

"All vehicles stranded on the highway are parked at safe places," a department official said.

Reports also said snowfall is continuing in Patnitop and Banihal areas of the highway.

The highway is strategically very important because supplies of all essential commodities to the landlocked Kashmir Valley are routed through this key route.

Closure of the highway often lead to hoarding and black marketing in the valley.