SRINAGAR: Despite snow clearance operations launched by the authorities, the national highway, connecting Ladakh with Kashmir and historic Mughal road remained closed while only one-way traffic would continue on Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
Meanwhile, a number of roads, connecting far-flung and remote areas, including those near the Line of Control (LoC) with their respective district headquarters, remained closed due to accumulation of several feet of snow.
”Today traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu and no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction, a traffic police official said.
However, the Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will have to leave Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir at 0700 hrs till 1100 hrs while Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMV) from 0700 hrs at Qazigund to 1230 at Jawahar Tunnel.
No vehicle will be allowed after the deadline”, he said. No vehicle, including security force convoy would be allowed from opposite direction under any circumstances. He said only one-way traffic would continue on the highway as the road at several places is still very narrow and damaged, where repair work is going on.
The Srinagar-Leh national highway has been closed for winter months due to accumulation of snow and slippery road condition, particularly between Sonamarg-Zojilla and Meenmarg. However, the BRO, responsible for the maintenance of highway, had pressed into service sophisticated machines and men on work to clear snow from Meenmarg towards Zojila pass.
The snow has been cleared upto Zero-Point from Meenmarg, official source said. They said snow clearance operation from this side of the Zojilla has not been started yet. There are more than three feet of snow accumulated at several places between Sonamarg to Zero point, including Zojilla, they added.
Traffic on the Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region remained closed for the past more than two weeks as about three to four feet of snow had accumulated at several places on other side of the Pir-ki-Gali.
However, authorities on this side of the Gali have cleared the snow while snow clearance operation from other side to Poonch was hampered due to fresh snowfall during the past 24 hours. Officials said snow clearance operation from Poonch has been cleared upto 40kms but there was fresh snowfall yesterday.
Meanwhile, dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including near LoC in North Kashmir districts of Bandipora and Kupwara remained cut off from their respective district and tehsil headquarters due to heavy snowfall recently.
The snow clearance operation was going on a war-footing to put through the road before the border area is cut off for rest of the winter months. The authorities have already announced to start Heli Service from Monday between Kupwara to Tangdhar and Kupwara to Machil. (AGENCIES)
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