Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 3: Traffic was on Monday allowed from Srinagar to Jammu after three day up convoy to allow free movement of vehicles , carrying darbar move employees on the national highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
However, the historic Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, remained closed through snow clearance operation was completed last month. Traffic was on Monday allowed from Srinagar to Jammu on the 270-km-long highway, a traffic police spokesman said. However, the Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) had to cross Zig Qazigund in south Kashmir between 0700 hrs to 1200 hrs, he said adding no vehicle will be allowed after cut off timing.
He said only stranded Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) in Qazigund area will be allowed to move towards Jammu. Security forces vehicles will also ply from Srinagar to Jammu only, he said. On Saturday and Sunday, traffic was allowed from Jammu to Srinagar to ensure vehicles carrying Darbar Move employees to ply smoothly on the highway. Jammu an Kashmir Union Territory (UT) Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has deferred the biannual Darbar Move to Srinagar and said the civil secretariat, which is the seat of the UT administration, shall function from Srinagar and Jammu cities simultaneously. However, all the employees whether he or she moves to Srinagar or remain in Jammu will be paid Rs 25,000 as travel allowance, he has announced. He said employees of departments which were closed on Friday travelled to Srinagar from Jammu on Saturday and those closed on Saturday travelled on Sunday on the highway.
However, the historic 86-km-long Mughal road, seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed though snow clearance operation has been completed since December last year. Several political leaders and residents living on both sides of the road expressed their concern over continued closure of the road despite clearance of snow. However, private vehicles are plying on the road illegally, they alleged.
The national highway linking the UT of Ladakh with Kashmir was also through for one-way traffic. Today vehicles will ply from Srinagar to different parts of Ladakh. However, vehicles had to ply between 0700 hrs to 1400 hrs from Sonamarg in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal.
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