Udhampur, Sep 15: Long traffic snarls were reported on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) at Thard in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Sunday, as single-lane movement continued to disrupt smooth vehicular flow, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded.
Officials said the highway has not been fully restored after massive landslides blocked the stretch at Thard. With only one lane functional, traffic is moving at a sluggish pace, causing severe congestion for trucks and light motor vehicles.
Udhampur Deputy SP Traffic, Jatinder Singh, said a landslide spanning nearly 300 metres had forced the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to cut through the mountain and create a temporary road. “This temporary road is not suitable for heavy traffic, leading to frequent jams. The stretch can handle only about 40 trucks per hour, and travel from Udhampur to Thard can take up to two hours. Around 2,000 trucks remain stuck despite ongoing clearance efforts,” he said.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, a vital supply line for the Kashmir Valley, has remained affected for over two weeks due to rainfall-triggered landslides. The disruption has hampered the movement of both commuters and essential goods.
Earlier, on September 9, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited Thard to review restoration work. NHAI officials briefed him on the deployment of men and machinery to clear the highway. The LG also interacted with affected families in the region.
The heavy rainfall in late August had triggered landslides, flash floods, and road blockades across Jammu and Kashmir, forcing prolonged closures of the NH-44 and cutting off several districts from essential supplies.