| Gurez road reopens for traffic after 9 days; Machil, Keran remain cut off | | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 17: The border town of Gurez, which is surrounded from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) from three sides, was reconnected with rest of Kashmir valley on Thursday after remaining cut off for nine days due to closure of the road following accumulation of several feet of snow. However, traffic to dozens of far-flung and remote villages -- including Keran and Machil -- remained suspended on Thursday due to slippery road conditions and accumulation of snow even as operation was going on a war-footing to reconnect these areas with the valley. Meanwhile, one-way traffic was plying on Kupwara-Karnah road, which was reopened on Monday after three days following clearing of snow and improvement in weather conditions.
“One-way traffic from Gurez to Bandipora was allowed to ply on Thursday after remaining suspended for nine days. Traffic to areas adjoining to Gurez was also restored,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR) from Bandipora said.
He the border town was reconnected to the district headquarters in Bandipora after clearing several feet of snow on Gurez-Bandipora road, particularly Razdan Top.
“Traffic to border town of Keran and adjoining areas remained suspended for the sixth successive day on Thursday due to accumulation of snow,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, told UNI over the phone.
He said the border town of Machil also remained cut off from rest of the world for the tenth day on Thursday due to accumulation of snow.
Z gali and Phirkiyan pass on Friday and Saturday received about a foot to 2 feet of fresh snowfall, which has now frozen due to sub-zero night temperature. “Snow clearance operation was going on war-footing in these areas following improvement in the weather,” he said, adding traffic will be resumed only after getting a green signal from officials deployed on the ground.
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