| Highway closed for 2nd consecutive day, 4,000 vehicles stranded | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Nov 8: Over 4,000 vehicles were left stranded as the arterial Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for the second consecutive day following heavy snowfall and landslides which blocked vehicular movement at several places, officials said on Friday.
The Mughal Road, connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with South Kashmir's Shopian district, was also closed for traffic for the third consecutive day on Friday after a snowfall in the high altitude areas on Wednesday, officials said.
"The National Highway is closed for the second consecutive day today due to the accumulation of snow at various places and a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Samroli," an official said. As a result, over 4,000 vehicles are stranded at various places enroute.
As per reports over 4,000 vehicles, mostly trucks, are stranded at Nagrota, Udhampur, Ramban, Banihal, Sidhra, Samba and Kathua areas on the highway.
Officials said no traffic has been allowed from either the Jammu or Srinagar side due to snowfall and slippery road conditions.
Officials said vehicles have been stopped at Nagrota traffic checkpost on the highway on the outskirts of Jammu and also at Udhampur.
He said about two feet of snow had accumulated at tunnel, Shaitan Nallah and Banihal due to which the road has become very slippery. However, he said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has already pressed into service sophisticated machines to clear the snow and restore traffic movement.
The official said traffic will be allowed only after receiving green signal from the BRO and traffic police officials posted at different places on the highway.
Trucks, carrying fruits for different mandis of the country, including Jammu and Delhi, are also stranded on this side of the tunnel.
The historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch, also remained closed for the third day on Friday due to acumination of snow. Over one to two feet of snow had accumulated on the road, including at Herpora Shopian and Pir-Ki-Gali. A large number of vehicles are stranded on the road, which is seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The centre has already approved a tunnel to make it all weather road, which remained closed for six winter months due to heavy snowfall.
Meanwhile, the national highway, linking UT Ladakh with the Kashmir valley, also remained closed for the Third day on Friday due to snowfall and slippery road condition. About one to two feet of snowfall was recorded on the highway at Sonamarg and Zojila pass besides snowfall was received at Meenmarg.
Hundreds of trucks besides passenger vehicle are stranded on both sides of the Zojila pass due to slippery road conditions following snowfall.
The BRO has pressed into service snow clearance machines to put through the highway, which also remained closed for winter months. However, due to avalanche threat and continued snowfall, snow clearance operation gets hampered, he said. |
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