| Traffic resumes on Srinagar-Jammu national highway; Mughal, Leh roads still shut | | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 16: Traffic resumed on Monday afternoon on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country after remaining suspended since Thursday night due to snowfall and landslides.
However, the historic 86-km-long Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar roads remained closed due to snowfall for the sixth day today, a traffic police official said.
Meanwhile, the national highway, the only road connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh region with the Kashmir valley, remained closed for the past six days.
The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir has announced closure of the highway for winter month. However, the Union Territory (UT) Ladakh authorities said they were not consulted before announcing closure of the highway for winter month.
We allowed traffic on the highway after the landslides and shooting stones at different places were cleared this afternoon, official said.
However, he said, only vehicles, stranded on the highway for the past few days, were allowed to move towards their respective destinations.
Decision to resume fresh traffic movement from Jammu and Srinagar will be taken in the evening, he said.
He said passengers, who intend to undertake the journey on the highway are requested to contact Traffic Control Unit (TCU) at Srinagar, Jammu and Ramban before starting the journey.
Traffic on the national highway restored Sunday evening after landslides were cleared. However, traffic was again suspended after a vehicle came under a huge landslide in Shaitani Nallah area resulting in on the spot death of a Deputy Inspector General (Operations) CRPF north Kashmir Shilander Kumar and his driver Naveen. His Special Police Officer (SPO) was injured who has been admitted to Army hospital at Udhampur.
Traffic was again suspended on the highway after the incident Sunday evening following fresh landslides at Digdol, Penthal and other places. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), responsible for the maintenance and widening of the highway, has already pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to clear the landslides.
The Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region remained closed for the sixth day on Monday due to accumulation of snowfall and slippery road conditions , a traffic police official told UNI this morning.
There was three to five feet of fresh snowfall on the Mughal road, particularly at Harpora, Pir-ki-Gali and other areas. Traffic on the road was allowed recently after remaining suspended since November 6 when there was heavy snowfall.
The road, which is also seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway, remained closed during winter months due to about ten feet of snow and avalanches every year. |
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