The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway will remain closed for the second consecutive day on Wednesday due to landslides, a traffic department official said.

Authorities said massive landslides in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir washed away a portion of the road.

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Landslide clearance and building of new road in the washed away portion in Mehar area was already started, and was expected to complete by Wednesday afternoon, the official added.

"But keeping the safety of the travellers in view, it has been decided that no movement of traffic will be allowed on the highway," he said.

Meanwhile, officials of the National Highways Authority of India have said that the 9.5 km long Nashri-Chenani tunnel would be thrown open for the traffic in March.

The tunnel would shorten the Jammu-Srinagar journey time by nearly two hours as it by-passes the 38 km of the existing portion of the highway including Batote, Patnitop and Kud.