A mudslide triggered by a leaked water pipe of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department blocked the busy Panjtirthi-Sidhra road connecting the city with the Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Sunday, prompting the agency concerned to press its men and machines to restore the vital link, officials said.

The road was blocked around 4.30 am following which the Public Works Department (PWD) launched a road clearance operation, the officials said.

They said the PHE department rushed a team to repair the water pipe meant to supply tap water to several parts of the city.

A road clearance operation is underway following the massive mudslide and it will take several hours for resumption of traffic, an official of the PWD said, adding all the incoming and outgoing traffic was diverted through the main highway along Manda Zoo.

The road is likely to be thrown open by evening, the official said.