| Barring Machil, Gurez traffic restored to dozens of far-flung, remote areas in Kashmir | | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Apr 19: Barring border towns of Gurez and Machil, roads to dozens of far flung and remote areas, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), were reopened on Monday after remaining closed for two days due to fresh snowfall in north Kashmir.
“Traffic has been restored on Kupwara-Karnah road after clearing of snow and improvement in weather conditions,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, said over the phone.
He said traffic was through on Kupwara-Keran road though the vehicles are currently plying only till Munden, which is a few km from the main town. “Snow clearance operation is going on to restore traffic to main Keran town,” he added.
He said a snow clearance operation was going on war footing to restore traffic to Machil, which remained cutoff from district headquarter in Kupwara since Saturday due to accumulation of about a foot on the road.
However, he said the operation could be effected following the prediction of another spell of rain and snow from Tuesday.
An official of Police Control Room (PCR) from Bandipora that traffic remained suspended since Saturday to the border town of Gurez and adjoining areas due to accumulation of snow. “Razdan pass and adjoining areas on Bandipora-Gurez road recovered about 7 to 8 inches of fresh snowfall on Saturday,” he said.
He said snow clearance operations will be started on the road only after improvement in the weather conditions as the areas in avalanche prone.
Gurez, which is surrounded from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) from three sides, and other adjoining villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), were on April 10 reconnected with district headquarters Bandipora in north Kashmir after remaining cutoff for over four months due to the accumulation of snow, avalanches and slippery conditions.
The authorities provide helicopter services to ferry patients and other stranded people, including students, from Gurez during these winter months.
As many as 150 aspirants appearing in Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) examination were airlifted to Bandipora from Gurez by District Administration Bandipora last month. Similarly, many patients were airlifted from Gurez to Bandipora for medical treatment.
However, the people of Gurez and adjoining border villages have been demanding a tunnel near the Razdan pass so that the border area remains connected with the rest of the valley throughout the year. |
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