SRINAGAR : The 434-km long national highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir valley was closed due to heavy snowfall since last evening, a traffic police official said.
He told UNI that the road communication between Leh and Srinagar was closed after there was heavy snowfall since last evening due to which the road has become slippery.
He said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the strategically important road, has already pressed into service sophisticated snow cutter and clearance machines besides men to put through the highway. However, intermittent snowfall and rain has hampered the restoration work.
Meanwhile, hundreds of vehicles, including trucks loaded with essentials and passengers for Ladakh region, are stranded at Sonmarg and other places on this side of the Zojila pass. Similarly, large number of vehicles, including empty trucks from different parts of the Ladakh region are stranded at Drass, Kargil and other places.
Official sources said only stranded vehicles will be allowed to proceed towards their respective destinations when the road will be again put through.
For the past few years, the highway remained open till last week of December or first week of January following low to moderate snowfall. However, in the past the highway used to be closed from November 1 every year due to snowfall and slippery road conditions after temperature was going down to below freezing point.
Meanwhile, authorities have dumped essentials at different parts of the Ladakh region which remains cut off during winter months. (UNI)
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