Travel chaos in North Kashmir. A massive landslide has snapped the vital Srinagar-Baramulla highway near Eco Park. Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) faces slow movement. Here is the latest traffic update.
Srinagar (Jan 3): Commuters travelling to North Kashmir are facing major disruptions today after a massive landslide blocked the Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway (NH-1) near the Eco Park area in Baramulla.
The incident occurred late Friday afternoon when a large portion of the hill, destabilized by recent road-widening work and moisture from the fresh snowfall, collapsed onto the road. While no casualties have been reported, hundreds of vehicles, including tourist cabs and army convoys, are currently stranded on both sides of the blockage.
1. North Kashmir Status: Eco Park Blockade
- Location: Eco Park, Baramulla (connecting Baramulla town to Uri).
- Current Status: CLOSED.
- Restoration: Men and machinery from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and local administration are on the job. However, continuous shooting stones are hampering the clearance operations.
- Advisory: Travelers heading towards Uri or Gulmarg via Baramulla are advised to avoid this route until official confirmation of clearance.
2. NH-44 (Jammu-Srinagar) Status
The main lifeline connecting the Valley to the rest of India, NH-44, is technically OPEN but is witnessing snail-paced traffic.
- Bottlenecks: Traffic is crawling at Dalwas, Mehar, and Ramban due to single-lane restrictions caused by mudslides and poor road surface conditions.
- Night Travel Ban: The Traffic Police Headquarters has advised passengers to avoid night travel (between 5:00 PM and 6:00 AM) as the threat of shooting stones remains high in the Ramban sector.
3. Weather & Road Outlook
With the Meteorological Department predicting “Dry but Foggy” weather for the next 48 hours, night temperatures are expected to dip further, leading to black ice formation on the roads, especially near the Banihal and Qazigund tunnels.
Official Advisory: “People are requested to undertake journeys on NH-44 only after confirming the status from Traffic Control Units (TCUs).”
FAQs: J&K Traffic Update (Jan 3, 2026)
A: Yes, the road from Srinagar to Gulmarg (via Tangmarg) is open. However, the Srinagar-Baramulla stretch beyond Pattan is affected by the Eco Park landslide. If you are going strictly to Gulmarg, you should be unaffected, but expect delays near Narbal.
A: Yes, traffic is allowed from both sides on NH-44. However, expect a travel time of 10-12 hours due to congestion at Dalwas.
A: You can contact the Traffic Control Unit (TCU) Ramban at 9419993745 or TCU Srinagar at 0194-2450022.
Disclaimer: Road conditions in the Himalayas can change within minutes due to weather. Please follow the official J&K Traffic Police Twitter handle for real-time updates before starting your journey.
