Inspector General of Traffic Police, Jagjeet Kumar today reviewed the status of the NH 44 with the Police, Traffic Police and civil administration in presence of District Development Commissioner Ramban, Tariq Hussain Ganai here today.In the wake of recent landslides on the NH 44 between Ramban and Banihal stretch leading to the sporadic disruptions in the vehicular traffic on the highway and to ensure smooth and hassle free movement of vehicles on the highway during the snowfall and rainfall season, the IGP deliberated on the conditions of the highway and the necessary measures needed to be taken with the local administration besides the engineers and the managers of the companies engaged in the four-laning (widening) of the NH44.The most vulnerable points of NH 44 landslides and bottlenecks in the traffic movement were identified as Panthial, Mehad (between Jaiswal bridge to JKTDC Cafeteria Morh), Marog, Nashri, Peeda and Anokhi Fall.The IGP directed the Managers of the concerned companies to take all necessary measures in anticipation of coming bad weather. He asked them to keep available necessary men and machinery ready on these vulnerable spots on the basis of the weather forecast, install crash barriers, Iron Mesh cum boulder guards as a precautionary measures to meet the exigencies.
He was informed that due to the ongoing highway widening work, the road has been narrowed at Gangru and badly neglected at Ratanbaas and Nashri. He expressed serious concern over the negligence of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel by the concerned agencies which is resulting into acute dust pollution and sporadic power outages/ shutdown and even fatal mishaps inside the tunnel.He however expressed satisfaction on timely restoration of traffic despite intermittent rains and heavy landslides on the stretch which caused huge debris on highway. He appreciated the synergy between the Traffic Police and other concerned road maintenance agencies and said that the Traffic Police want the highway stretch clear of any landslide debris as early as possible to regulate the traffic for the convenience of the commuters. He also sought cooperation from the general public and all users of the National Highway for maintaining the normal traffic and abiding the traffic warnings in view of the inclement weather during the winter which often cause disruptions in the traffic movements.SSP Ramban, Mohan Lal, SP Traffic National Highway, Sanjay Bhagat, alongwith senior local Traffic Police officers and the Managers and Engineers of Hindustan Construction Company, Navyuga Construction Company and Gammon India Ltd. were also present in the meeting.