SRINAGAR: The Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country for the second day on Saturday following closure of the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, due to fresh landslides, triggered by rain.
Traffic on the highway was resumed only on Thursday after remaining suspended for two days due to landslides.
The 86-km-long historic Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar road remained closed for the past over two months due to accumulation of snow.
Traffic on the highway remained suspended for the second day on Saturday due to fresh landslides at several places between Ramban and Ramsu, a traffic police official said this morning. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has already pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to clear the landslides, he said, adding that shooting stones continued to hamper the operation. Fresh landslides occurred early this morning, he said.
Traffic will be resumed only after receiving a green signal from NHAI and traffic police officials posted at different places on the highway, he said. He said only one-way traffic will continue to ply on the highway till further orders on the highway as the road is very narrow and damaged at several places between Ramban and Ramsu where only one vehicle could pass easily. There is also forecast for fresh rain and snow during the next 48 hours.
The historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region remained closed for the past over two months. It will take about two more months to put through road which is seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu highway. The Anantnag-Kishtwar road also remained closed due to snow. There was fresh snowfall during the past 24 hours at several places on both the roads. (AGENCIES)
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