SRINAGAR : The historic Mughal road, connecting the south Kashmir with Jammu region, was closed for maintenance while the Srinagar-Jammu and Srinagar-Leh national highways remained
open though for only one-way.
There will be no traffic on the Mughal road, linking the Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, a traffic police official said here today.
He said it has been decided that no traffic will be allowed one day in a week so that necessary maintenance could be undertaken on the road which was reopened for traffic last week after remaining closed for five winter months due to accumulation of huge snow.
Vehicles still have to pass through big snow walls on both sides of the road, on which only one-way traffic is allowed. Officials said it may be a week or two before two-way traffic is allowed on the road, which is seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway which remained closed due to landslides and shooting stones frequently during this winter.
However, the national highway, connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country remained open for one-way traffic and today vehicles will ply from Srinagar to Jammu. The BRO, responsible for the maintenance of the highway, are working to make it two-way by repairing the road damaged in winter due to landslides and soil erosion. At several places, the road has been damaged and only one vehicle could pass that area, forcing authorities to allow only one-way traffic. The state government has already taken up the matter of Kashmir highway with BRO to repair the road which often gets closed due to landslides, resulting in shortage of essentials, particularly vegetables in the Kashmir valley.
Meanwhile, large number of vehicles, including those carrying passengers, left Kargil and other parts for Srinagar as only one-way traffic is allowed on the highway connecting the Ladakh region with Kashmir. The highway was recently opened for traffic after remaining closed for five winter months due to snow.
The road is very narrow at most places as big walls of snow could be seen on both sides with the result only one-way traffic is allowed to avoid any accident and traffic jam. However, two-way traffic will be allowed as BRO is working to remove the snow. (AGENCIES)
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