SRINAGAR: Vehicular movement on the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway remained blocked for several hours as a massive traffic jam gripped the Banihal–Ramban stretch since Thursday night, leaving commuters stranded overnight.
Officials said the congestion was triggered by heavy movement of trucks and passenger vehicles on the narrow and landslide-prone section of the highway. Despite traffic police efforts to regulate the flow, the jam persisted into Friday morning, causing severe inconvenience to travelers, including families and truck drivers.
Eyewitnesses reported long queues of vehicles stretching for several kilometres. “We have been stuck since last evening without food or water. Many elderly people and children are suffering,” said a passenger stranded near Ramban.
Authorities attributed the gridlock to both the heavy volume of traffic and ongoing road-widening work in the area, which has left several stretches vulnerable to bottlenecks. They assured that clearance operations were underway and additional personnel had been deployed to ease movement.
