SRINAGAR: The Ladakh region remained cut off with the rest of the state as the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway remained closed for the third day today due to fresh snowfall at several places.
A large number of vehicles, including those carrying passengers, are stranded on either side of the Zojila pass, which received fresh snowfall, resulting in considerable drop in the temperature and slippery road conditions.
Due to below freezing temperature, the road, particularly
At Zojila, was frozen and as a result it has become slippery, officials sources said.
They said there was fresh snowfall at Zojila, Sonmarg and
Meenmarg.
With icy cold winds, the temperature has also dropped with resulting in frozen slippery roads. They said adding that the highway remained closed for the third day today as a precautionary measure.
The Border Roads Organistion (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway has pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to put restore traffic. However, frozen road surface was a cause of concern, sources said adding allowing traffic under these conditions will prove dangerous.
A large number of vehicles, including trucks loaded with essentials for Ladakh region and those carrying passengers were stopped at safe places on this side of the Zojila, sources told UNI.
They said similar vehicles, mostly empty trucks on way back to Srinagar, are also stranded at Drass and other places on other side a of the pass.
Sources said normal traffic on the highway will be resumed once a green signal is received from BRO and traffic police officials.
Meanwhile, authorities racing against the time are stocking essentials in different parts of the Ladakh region which also remained cut off from their respective district headquarters of Leh and Kargil due to snowfall during winter. (AGENCIES)
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