Srinagar, Nov 17: The 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh National Highway, connecting Ladakh with Kashmir remained closed for the fourth successive day on Tuesday due to slippery road conditions and accumulation of snow.
Meanwhile, traffic resumed this afternoon on historic 86-km-long Mughal road after remaining suspended for the past three days due to snow.
“Traffic remained suspended for the fourth successive day on Tuesday on the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway following accumulation of snow at Sonamarg, Zojila pass, Meenmarg and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia,” a traffic police official told UNI.
He said the Border Roads Organistion (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, has pressed into service sophisticated machines to clear the snow. However, traffic will resume once snow is cleared from the highway.
Meanwhile, he said, “Today, traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu and no vehicle, including security force convoy, would be allowed from opposite direction.”
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 said, adding Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed from Udhampur to Srinagar. The traffic on the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway was resumed on Monday afternoon after remaining closed for morning hours due to snowfall and landslides.
The traffic spokesman said traffic on Mughal Road, which is seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, was resumed this afternoon after remaining suspended for three days following accumulation of snow. However, vehicles had to ply till 1600 hrs only as the road is becoming slippery due to drop in the temperature in the morning and evening hours.
He said only trucks carrying fresh fruits would be allowed to ply on the road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region.
