17 points identified for urgent repairs along Jammu-Srinagar NH – Statetimes

STATE TIMES NEWS

Banihal/Jammu: At least 17 vulnerable points have been identified for urgent repairs along the strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway to ensure smooth flow of traffic, with emphasis on the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, a senior official.
A team of high-level officers on Tuesday inspected the 270-km national highway, the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, to identify bottlenecks hampering movement under the four-way project current channels.
“The main objective of the visit was to inspect the vulnerable points (along the 56 km stretch) between Nashri and Banihal, which require urgent repairs ahead of the yatra,” said Deputy Commissioner Ramban Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary.
The inspection team, which included local police, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), traffic police and senior officers of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), also took stock of the modalities traffic in the town of Banihal and the capacity to accommodate 'yatri niwas. ” in Lamber. The 52-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas is scheduled to begin on June 29 and end on August 19.
“At least 17 critical points have been identified between Nashri and Banihal for urgent repairs, while it has also been decided to macademize the Banihal market road. The work will be completed within a week, followed by a dry run so that pilgrims, tourists and commuters can travel hassle-free,” the deputy commissioner said.
The majority of construction work on the four-lane highway started in 2016 has been completed, but there are still some tunnels, ring roads and viaducts, notably in the Ramban district, where work is underway.
The deputy commissioner said security of pilgrim convoys was also discussed, while it was also decided to enhance the capacity of 'yatri niwas' at Lamber and activate all facilities for short stays of pilgrims, tourists and commuters, in the event of road disruptions. closing.
The entire stretch of Ramban and Banihal sector is prone to landslides, leading to disruptions on the highway during the monsoon season, as well as the movement of nomads in search of greener pastures for their livestock .