Barring Gurez, traffic restored to dozens of far-flung remote areas in Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 8: Roads to dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), reopened on Thursday after remaining closed for two days due to slippery road conditions following fresh snowfall.

Meanwhile, after remaining cutoff since January 1, the border town of Gurez would be reconnect with the rest of the valley during the next about a week as snow clearance operation was going on war footing at Razdan pass and adjoining areas, which received fresh snowfall earlier this week.

“Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including Machil, Kernah and Tanghdar, were reconnected with district headquarter in Kupwara on Thursday after clearance of snow and improvement in weather conditions,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, said.

He said Sadhna top, Z gali and other tops received about a foot of fresh snowfall earlier this week, resulting in closure of roads to these border areas. However, he said Border Road Organization (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the border roads, pressed into service sophisticated machines and cleared the snow.

He said traffic has been restored on Kupwara-Keran road though the vehicles are currently plying only till Munden, which is a few km from the main town.

Official sources said that Gurez remained cut off from its tehsil and district headquarter in Bandipora from last over three months. “The snow clearance operation was almost complete and the repair work was to be started on Bandipora-Gurez road,” they added.
However, fresh 9 inches of snow was recorded Razdan pass and adjoining areas on Bandipora-Gurez road. “Snow clearance operation has once again started and the road would be put through for traffic in the next about a week,” they said.

The Bandipora-Gurez road was to be reopening for traffic in the first week of April. But, the reopening date was delayed due to fresh heavy snowfall last month.

The authorities provide helicopter services to ferry patients and other stranded people, including students, from Gurez during these winter months. As many as 150 aspirants appearing in Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) examination were airlifted to Bandipora from Gurez by District Administration Bandipora in February this year. Similarly, many patients were airlifted from Gurez to Bandipora for medical treatment.

However, the people of Gurez and adjoining border villages have been demanding a tunnel near the Razdan pass so that the border area remains connected with the rest of the valley throughout the year.