Dozens of far flung, remote areas remain cut-off in north Kashmir
Srinagar, Nov 15: Hundreds of vehicles left Srinagar for Jammu as only one-way traffic continued on the national highway, connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, due to bad road conditions.
However, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh Highway and historic Mughal road remained closed for the second successive day on SundaHundreds of vehicles left Srinagar for Jammu as the only one-way traffic continued on the national highway, connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, due to bad road conditions.
However, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh Highway and historic Mughal road remained closed for the second successive day on Sunday due to slippery road conditions following fresh snowfall on Saturday.
“Today, traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu and no vehicle, including security force convoy, would be allowed from the opposite direction,” a traffic police official said.
He said Jammu-bound Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will have to cross Zig in Qazigund between 0700 hrs to 1200 hrs. “No vehicle will be allowed after cut off timing,” he added.
He said Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed from Udhampur to Srinagar.
He said despite wet weather, the traffic on the highway was resumed on Saturday after remaining closed for a day on Friday due to maintenance of the road. The UT government has ordered the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway on every Friday till November 30 to allow agencies, responsible for the maintenance and widening of the highway, to undertake necessary work for smooth plying of vehicles during winter.
“The Srinagar-Leh national highway remained closed for the second successive day on Sunday following snowfall at Sonamarg, Zojila pass, Meenmarg and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia,” he said.
He said, no vehicle was allowed from Sonmarg, in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal, on the highway due to slippery road conditions due to snowfall. “Traffic will be resumed only if there is an improvement in the weather and snowfall stops,” he added.
Meanwhile, a high-level committee has been constituted to make necessary arrangements to keep the highway open till December 31 this year.
The traffic spokesman said traffic on Mughal road, which is seen as an alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway, remained suspended for the second day on Sunday following snowfall on Saturday. “The road has become slippery due to snowfall,” he said, adding there is a forecast for more snowfall.
Traffic will be resumed only after there is an improvement in the weather and road become safe for the journey.
Meanwhile, dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the LoC, remained cut off for the second successive day on Sunday in north Kashmir due to slippery roads conditions and accumulation of snow.
“Traffic remained suspended to dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including Keran, Machil, Kernah and Tanghdar, due to slippery road conditions and acumination of one to three feet of snow,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, said.
He said Sadhna top, Z Gali and Phirkiyan pass received about 1.5 feet of snow. “About 3 feet of snow has accumulated in Keran and adjoining areas,” he added.
He said it is highly unlikely that these roads will reopen for traffic in the coming days.
A traffic police official said Gurez remained closed for traffic for the second successive day on Sunday. “Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and dozens of other areas near LoC with district headquarters Bandipora, received over 2.5 feet of snow,” he said.
He said traffic on Bandipora-Gurez road would be allowed only after clearing snow. “The snow clearance operation has not been started so far as there is a prediction of more snow and the area is avalanche prone,” he added.
