Jammu-Srinagar Highway Hit By Massive Landslide; Traffic Halted, Vehicles Diverted

A massive landslide hit the Dharamthal area between Udhampur and Chenani on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) at around 4:30 pm on Sunday, disrupting traffic on the up tube towards Srinagar. A large amount of debris fell onto the highway following the landslide.

Fortunately, vehicles travelling from Jammu towards Srinagar had been stopped at a safe distance as a precaution before the landslide.

NH-44 Update: The 270-km Jammu–Srinagar National Highway remains closed after a massive landslide blocks uphill tube towards Srinagar at Dhramthal in the Chenani area of Udhampur district. Authorities are monitoring the situation.@airnewsalerts @Traffic_hqrs
Report: @DubeyAchin pic.twitter.com/EaioDjlUNu

— Akashvani News Jammu (@radionews_jammu) August 16, 2026

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According to eyewitnesses, stones had started falling intermittently from the hillside shortly before the landslide. Sensing the danger, traffic police stopped vehicles travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. Around 10 minutes later, a large section of the hill suddenly cracked, sending a huge amount of debris onto the highway. Around half a dozen trees on the hillside also broke and fell onto the road along with the debris.

Traffic Diverted To Prevent Major Jam

Following the landslide, traffic police stopped the movement of heavy vehicles on the affected stretch. Small passenger vehicles in the area were diverted to the down tube, which carries traffic from Srinagar towards Jammu, to prevent traffic from coming to a complete standstill.

According to the Traffic Control Unit, Udhampur, a large quantity of debris had accumulated on the uptube. Machines were brought to the spot to clear the debris from the highway.

Officials said that if the situation remains normal, efforts are underway to clear the debris and restore traffic movement within the next three to four hours.

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Long Queue Of Vehicles

The disruption at Dharamthal also affected traffic on roads surrounding Udhampur city. Vehicles were seen lined up at several locations on the National Highway and Dhar Road, particularly from Jakhani to Tikri and Majalta.

The sudden increase in traffic following the disruption led to congestion at several locations, slowing down the movement of vehicles across the area.