Summary:
Jammu, Jan 24 (PTI) Taking a serious note of a rice-loaded truck getting stuck for nearly 30 hours on Jammu-Srinagar national highway, Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday directed the officials to take strict action against "overloaded" load carriers.
It has also directed for opening of Panthiyal tunnel by middle of April to bypass the landslide stretch.
The directions were passed by Chief Secretary A K Mehta at a meeting which was convened to review the condition of the 270-km highway - the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country- here, an official spokesman said.
The strategic highway was cleared for stranded vehicles Monday afternoon after road clearance agencies pulled out the truck that was stuck in mud near Panthiyal in Ramban district for nearly 30 hours.
The Chief Secretary was apprised of the recent traffic disruption on the highway due to the breakdown of an overloaded vehicle carrying 36-ton dry ration in violation of the laid down norms, the spokesman said.
He said Mehta directed for ascertaining reasons for the incident to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.