Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Feb 7: Despite sliding at many places on the National Highway, around 4000 vehicles crossed Jawahar Tunnel towards Jammu even as divisional administration issued fresh avalanche warning today.
There were fresh sliding in Battery Chesma this evening that blocked the road but the Border Roads Organization (BRO) immediately started road clearance operation in the area. Shooting stones were reported at Mehar but they were later cleared.
During the night, sliding occurred at Mehar, Ramban and it was cleared in the morning by the BRO.
Despite sliding around 4000 vehicles including 1990 Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs), 2870 Heavy Motor Vehicles and 270 Tankers, 34 Buses and other vehicles crossed Jawahar tunnel towards Banihal till this evening.
A traffic official said that highway will remain open for one-way traffic from Jammu to Srinagar tomorrow. “Keeping in view the condition of the road, especially between Udhampur -Ramsoo and Banihal to Levdora (Qazigund) coupled with narrow width of road at certain places, only one way movement of traffic is feasible/advisable on Srinagar- Jammu NHW”, he added.
“As such subject to fair weather and good condition of road tomorrow, movement of traffic shall be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar/Doda region in a regulated manner. Movement of LMVs/passenger vehicles/Tankers shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) from 0700 hours up to 1100 hours and from Udhampur up to 1230 hours only. However, the movement of HMVs (excluding Trailers/multi-axle vehicles) including convoys of Army, BSF, CRPF etc. shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) from 0700 hours up to 1000 hours and from Udhampur up to 1130 hours only. No movement shall be allowed from the above TCPs after the prescribed cut off timing under any circumstances”, the official said.
“No movement of traffic including that of convoys of Army, BSF, CRPF etc. shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu side tomorrow under any circumstances to avoid hassle free movement of traffic. Commuters are requested/advised that vehicles are not parked in any landslide/avalanche/vulnerable zones of NHW especially from Ramsoo – Jawahar Tunnel – Levdora under any circumstances. All the vulnerable/avalanche prone zones should be kept free from any kind of traffic to avoid any eventuality”, the official said.
The divisional administration Kashmir today issued a medium danger avalanche warning for next 24-hours for avalanche prone areas of frontier district of Kupwara.
“Medium danger avalanche warning valid for next 24-hours from February 7 to February 8 exists for avalanche prone slopes above 2500 m altitude in Kupwara district of Kashmir division,” a statement of the divisional administration said.
The Deputy Commissioner Kupwara has been asked to take precautionary measures and advise people not to venture in avalanche prone areas during the aforementioned period.
The cold and dry conditions prevailed in the Valley but the MeT office has forecast rains or snow in the State.
The night temperature in the Valley, except in the high altitude areas, settled above the freezing point with Srinagar registering a low of 0.9 degree Celsius.
Kargil town was the coldest recorded place in the State at minus 16.1 degree Celsius. Qazigund recorded a low of 0.8 degree Celsius and Kokernag town 0.3 degree Celsius.
Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Kupwara witnessed sub-zero night temperature at minus 9.6, minus 1.2 and minus 2.5 degree Celsius. Leh town in Ladakh region registered a low of minus 15.3 degrees Celsius, the lowest in February in the past three years.
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