early times report
SRINAGAR, Feb 6: Traffic on Jammu-Srinagar Nati-onal Highway resumed this morning following two days' closure due to snowfall and landslides. "We are allowing traffic from Jammu to Srinagar after clearing all vehicles stranded on the highway at different places for the past few days due to closure of the road following snowfall and landslides, triggered by rains," official sources said here today.
They said the men and machines of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the only road link between Kashmir and rest of the country, are clearing the mud and landslides on the highway.
There is still a danger of landslides at Pentihal, the most troubled spot on the highway, they said. Extra precautions are being taken to avoid any accident, they added. The vehicles stranded at different places on both sides of the tunnel will be cleared before allowing fresh traffic, they said adding today traffic will be allowed from Jammu to Kashmir.
Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers and empty trucks are lined up at Qazigund and other places to move towards Jammu.
However, authorities decided to allow Jammu to Srinagar traffic today to clear the stranded passengers at Jammu and also allow essential supply to Kashmir.
Sources said hundreds of Kashmiri passengers, including women and children, protested at Jammu bus stand yesterday, alleging that the divisional administration has failed to provide them any shelter or relief.
"We have no money now left, the prices of essentials, particularly tea and food has gone up several times with nobody from the government to enforce price control," they said.
The highway was closed on February 4 following landslides between Ram-ban and Ramsu and at Pentihal due to heavy rains.
There was also fresh snowfall at Qazigund, Jawahar tunnel and Banihal making the road slippery, forcing authorities to suspend the traffic as a precautionary measure.
The authorities have allowed only one-way traffic on the highway since December 14 following heavy snowfall. |
