Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 24: While the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was today thrown open to one-way traffic after four days, nearly 3500 stranded vehicles were cleared by the Traffic Police authorities towards Kashmir, whereas, Doda, Kishtwar, Dudu-Basantgarh and Mahore-Gool areas of Jammu region were still cut-off due to landslides. A GREF worker was buried alive and two others injured as fresh landslides occurred when road clearance work was in progress on Reasi-Mahore road near Arnas today.
Reports said in view of improvement in weather conditions since morning, the BRO (GREF) men started operation clearance between Ramban and Banihal area of National Highway at around 7.30 am. They cleared the boulders from the highway by 9 am, ensuring movement of one way traffic. The Traffic police authorities cleared the stranded passenger vehicles and other goods carriers carrying essential commodities to Kashmir valley.
A middle aged GREF worker was killed and two others injured when some workers/ labourers were busy in road clearance work near Arnas at a sliding zone during the day. A bulldozer was also engaged there to clear bounders near Daman village. Suddenly, a huge portion of mountain collapsed and one worker was buried alive under debris and two others received injuries. The others ran for the safety and had miraculous escape. The deceased was later extricated from the debris. He was identified as Keekar Singh, son of Nikku, resident of Kenthi village in Reasi. The injured were removed to Arnas Hospital and later shifted to Reasi.
Inspector General of Police (Traffic), Muneer Ahmed Khan said that landslides have been cleared from the highway and the traffic restored on it this morning. He said more than 3500 vehicles crossed the Jawahar Tunnel by late this evening towards Valley. He said Traffic will move from Srinagar to Jammu on Monday and all the stranded vehicles will be cleared.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Traffic), Shakeel Beig told the Excelsior that BRO men cleared the boulders from the land slide affected areas like Panthal, Digdol, Seri, Nachlana, Battery Chashma and near Nashri within two hours during early morning. He said by 9 am, they passed on information to Traffic Control Room regarding road clearance for one traffic and in the first phase, all the Valley bound stranded passenger vehicles were cleared. He said some additional Traffic policemen, drawn from other areas were pressed into service to manage traffic on National Highway and local police assistance was also sought in Udhampur, Kud, Batote, Ramban and Banihal areas.
Mr Beig said many Kashmir bound passenger vehicles which had been held up at Jammu for the last two-three days also left for their respective destinations in Kashmir and the rush at Jammu Bus Stand was cleared. These vehicles were directed to cross Nagrota by 10.30 am and Udhampur by 12.30 pm today. The DIG disclosed that from 9 am onwards up to 6 pm today, a total 3360 vehicles including 2404 heavy vehicles and 956 light and medium vehicles crossed Jawahar Tunnel for Valley. The movement of some stranded vehicles was still going on. He disclosed that tomorrow (on Monday) one-way vehicular traffic from Kashmir to Jammu will be allowed and no opposite traffic will be allowed.
The DIG said due to fresh land slides at two places near Assar on Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road this afternoon, this link has also been snapped. He said the GREF men were on the job and if the road is cleared by tomorrow morning, the traffic will be restored on it. He disclosed that vehicles were plying smoothly till noon on this road and it was through at all places.
Meanwhile, reports from Udhampur said that entire Dudu-Basantgarh sub-division was still cut off as the local PWD authorities failed to clear land slides at several places near Kulwanta, Majori and some other points. There was no vehicular movement from Ramnagar to Majori and Dudu- Basantgarh for the last three days. There was nearly 6 inch to 8 inch snow at Gandh Top and Basantgarh belt and it could not be removed even when the weather was clear today. The link road between Ramnagar and Ghordi is also still blocked.
Reports from Reasi said that road clearance work on Reasi-Mahore-Gool road near Arnas was disrupted after fresh land slides and death of a GREF worker during the day. It said this road could not be cleared even today as there was no adequate machinery available for road clearance work. This link is expected to be cleared by tomorrow.
The power supply to Dudu-Basantgarh and Gool-Mahore is also affected with the inclement weather conditions.
Another report said that Thanna Mandi- Dera Gali-Bufliaz and Poonch road is still closed. The link between Rajouri—Budhal and Mahore is also snapped while Billawar-Machhedi and Billawar–Katli roads could not be thrown open to traffic today. The power supply to many parts of Bani block is still affected and PDD authorities have failed to restore it even after fourth day.
Meanwhile, Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of cold wave despite the fact that there was an increase in the day temperature today after two days. Gulmarg was the coldest place in Kashmir while Srinagar recorded the day temperature of 7.9 degree Celsius and it was 4.3 Degree C more than the day temperature recorded on Saturday. The night temperature in Srinagar was recorded as 1.7 degree Celsius. In Jammu the day temperature was 23.4 degree Celsius while night temperature was 7.7 degree Celsius today.
A Met Department spokesman said that light rain and snow could occur at some places in Kashmir division while the weather would be mainly dry in Jammu and Ladakh regions in next 24 hours.
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