Jammu-Srinagar highway remains shut, Amarnath Yatra remains suspended

Jammu: Authorities said the Amarnath Yatra will remain suspended as no batch of pilgrims will leave Jammu for Kashmir on Tuesday in the wake of closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

"No fresh batch will leave Jammu for Kashmir for their onward journey to Amarnath cave shrine. The yatra will remain suspended", a senior officer told PTI here.

This is being done in view of the closure of the highway for undertaking work for complete restoration of damaged stretches.

More than 7,000 pilgrims are stranded in Jammu, particularly at the Bhagwatinagar base camp, while over 5,000 are stuck at the Chanderkot base camp in Ramban district.

Traffic authorities also issued an advisory in which they said collective efforts from the administration and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), put in throughout the day, resulted in substantial improvement in the road condition.

However, complete restoration is expected to take some more time.

Accordingly, it has been decided by the administration to keep the traffic on national highway suspended for Tuesday, it added.

Heavy motor vehicles are advised to take the Mughal Road for journey from Jammu to Srinagar and vice versa.

Traffic is likely to resume on Wednesday, however, the next update will be issued on Tuesday evening, it said.