SRINAGAR : Due to less snowfall this winter, the Sadhna and Razdan passes, connecting dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), remained through while national highway, connecting Ladakh with Kashmir and historic Mughal road remained closed owing to slippery road condition.
Meanwhile, only one-way Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) traffic is allowed on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, life line to Kashmir while Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) traffic will continue to ply from both sides.
”We used to remain cut off from the district headquarters, Bandipora, in the past for about six winter months, but this time the situation has changed and the road is through because of less snowfall, said residents of border town of Gurez, surrounded by Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) from three sides.
Last year, the road remained closed for more than five months as there was more than five to six feet of snow at Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and other border areas with district headquarters.
”Though we are happy that road communication was through this year but we are worried about less snowfall which could result in water shortage during the summer,” the residents of Gurez said, adding that this is for the first time that people could travel through Razdan pass during winter, particularly in 40 Chilai-Kalan, severest period of winter which is to end on January 31.
Similarly, the Sadhna pass, connecting Tangdhar, Keran, Machils and other border areas with Kupwara was also through for traffic due to less snowfall.
However, on January 5 evening, eleven persons, including an officer of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), were killed after a snow avalanche hit at Sadhna pass, which is also still open now.
Due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions between Sonamarg and Meenmarg, including Zojila pass and Zero point, the national highway, linking Ladakh region with Kashmir, remained closed since last month.
Similarly, the 86-km-long historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, also remained closed due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.
However, the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway was through for traffic though, BRO, responsible for the maintenance of the road was busy in widening and repair of the road. To avoid any accident and traffic jam, the authorities have decided to allow only one way HMV traffic on the highway, a traffic police official said on Sunday.
He said today HMV traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu only and no heavy vehicle, including security force convoy, would be allowed from opposite direction. The vehicles had to pass Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir, by 0700 hrs and Jawahar Tunnel by 1230 hrs, he said adding no vehicle will be allowed after the deadline.
However, he said, LMV traffic will ply from both Srinagar and Jammu. However, Jammu-bound LMVs have to pass Qazigund between 0700 hrs to 1400 hrs, while those coming from Jammu have to cross Nagrota between 0600 hrs to 1000 hrs. (AGENCIES)
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