SRINAGAR: The 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed for the second day while the national highway, the only road connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir and historic 86-km-long Mughal road are shut for the fifth straight day on Saturday following accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.
Traffic on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road linking Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, was suspended on Friday for maintenance. Authorities have announced that traffic on the highway will remain suspended on Fridays to allow National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to carry out maintenance and repair work on the road.
However, on Saturday traffic remained suspended due to snowfall and landslides, a traffic police official said.
He said about six inches of snowfall was experienced at Jawahar tunnel and few inches at Banihal, Shaitan Nallah and other areas on the highway. There was also landslides at Pantheyal and some other places, he said. Official said the NHAI and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has pressed into service sophisticated machines to clear the snow and put through the highway.
Traffic will resume once the snow and landslides clearance are completed.
He said traffic was to ply from Srinagar to Jammu today.
Meanwhile, official said in view of inclement weather prediction issued by Met department (rain and snowfall) in Jammu and Kashmir for next few days, there are chances of blockade of the highway. People are advised to avoid journey on the highway, he said.
Traffic on Srinagar-Leh national highway remained suspended since Tuesday morning following accumulation of snow and slippery road condition. There was fresh snowfall since Friday night. Few inches of snow had accumulated at Meenmarg , Zero point and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia. However, there was about eight feet of fresh snowfall at Zojila.
He said there was improvement in the weather and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has put into service sophisticated machines to clear the snow on the highway. However, traffic will be resumed only after receiving green signal. Night traffic movement from 1800 hrs to 0900 hrs next morning will remain suspended on the highway between Gagangir and Sonamarg.
This year, the government has decided to keep the highway open till December end. Generally, it remained closed during winter months due to accumulation of 10 to 15 feet of snow on the highway.
The historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, also remained closed for any traffic movement for the 5th day on Saturday due to accumulation of snow, traffic official said.
Traffic on the road was resumed recently after remaining closed for over a week due to snowfall last week. The road, also seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu highway, remains closed for six winter months due to snow and avalanches.
(agencies)
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