Landslide near Jammu and Kashmir’s T5 tunnel affects traffic, army vehicle

A large rockslide hit near the T-5 tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district on April 2, 2023, damaging an army vehicle and disrupting traffic.

According to officials, an army vehicle was damaged by the stones shooting from a nearby hillock as it passed through the recently opened T-5 tunnel. Fortunately, no personnel was injured in the incident. The shooting stones continued to fall on both sides of the tunnel for some time, causing further disruption to traffic.

Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mussarat Islam has taken the matter seriously and requested the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to have the vulnerable zone technically assessed. Immediate protection measures are needed to safeguard the lives of passengers traveling on the 270 km (168 miles) highway, which is the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country.

The T-5 tunnel, spanning 880 m (2 890 feet), was opened for traffic on March 16, 2023. It bypasses the Panthyal stretch, notorious for frequent shooting stones from the hillock, providing relief to commuters. Due to the tunnel, traffic jams have been reduced, resulting in better traffic regulation.

In a communication to the NHAI, the Ramban deputy commissioner stressed the importance of taking immediate remedial measures to protect commuters, as the massive shooting stone activity near the south portal of Tunnel T-5 (Tube 1) poses a significant risk.

References:

¹ Landslide in newly-built Jammu and Kashmir tunnel damages army vehicle, halts traffic – The Hindustan Times – April 3, 2023

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