Only one-way traffic to continue on Jammu - Kashmir highway

Srinagar, Feb 17 : Only one-way traffic will continue to ply on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, till further orders, a traffic police official said.

However, the national highway, linking Ladakh region with Kashmir and 86-km-long historic Mughal road besides roads leading to dozens of far flung and remote areas in north remained closed.

Keeping in view the condition of road besides avalanche warning issued on Friday evening for next 24 hours, it was decided to allow only one-way traffic on the highway, official told TNN this morning.

He said today vehicles will ply from Srinagar to Jammu only and no vehicle from opposite direction, including security force convoy would be allowed from opposite direction. However, people are directed contact traffic police and Police Control Room (PCR) before starting their journey on the highway.

Traffic on the highway was resumed only yesterday after remaining suspended for about four days due to snow and landslides.

Meanwhile, the national highway, connecting Ladakh with Kashmir remained closed since December last year. There was fresh snowfall at Sonamarg, Zojila pass and Meenmarg on 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway early this week. The road is also very slippery due to below freezing temperature, officials said adding the road is likely to reopen after April.

Meanwhile, the 86-km-long historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region also remained closed since December last year.

Meanwhile, dozens of far flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC) remained cut off with their respective district and tehsil headquarters due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions. .

The Sadhna top, Z-Gali and Phirkiyan pass remained due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.

The road between Bandipora to border town of Gurez also remained closed due to accumulation of snow, particularly at Razdan top. The road is likely to reopen in March or April, he said.

Roads from Kupwara to border towns of Keran, Karnah, Machil, Tangdhar and dozens of other far flung and remote villages, including those near LoC, also remained closed.

There was fresh snowfall early this week, a PCR official told TNN from Kupwara. He said about six inches to one feet of fresh snowfall had accumulated at Z-Gali, Phirkiyan pass and Sadhna top, where eleven persons, including Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officer, were killed in a snow avalanche in January this year.

Meanwhile, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has issued fresh avalanche warning for Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts including Gulmarg, Kupwara-Chowkibal-Tangdhar sector, Furkian-Z Gali, Bandipora-Kanzalwan-Gurez sector.

The SDMA has advised people living in avalanche prone areas to take precautionary measures.