Despite rain, Kashmir highway through for one-way traffic

Srinagar, Feb 24 : Despite rain since late Friday night, the 300 km-long national highway, connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, was through for one-way traffic.

However, 434-km-long national highway, linking the Ladakh region with Kashmir and historic Mughal road, remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.

''Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying essentials and passengers, left Jammu for Srinagar early this morning despite rain,'' a traffic police official toldTNN.

''Rain has not affected traffic movement on the national highway. However, vehicles are being allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar only. No vehicle, including security force convoy, shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu,'' he said.

In view of avalanche warning on the highway, people are advised not to park their vehicles in any landslide, vulnerable or avalanche prone zones of the highway, especially from Jawahar Tunnel-Ramban and Jawahar Tunnel-Lower Munda, under any circumstance.

''People are requested to undertake journey on the National Highway only after confirming status of the road from TCU Srinagar,'' he added.

Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), also remained cut off from their respective district and tehsil headquarters, following closure of Sadhna top, Z-Gali and Phirkiyan due accumulation of snow. ''It was snowing since early this morning in these areas,'' he added.

The Razdan pass, connecting border town of Gurez, surrounded by Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) from three sides, remained closed due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions since last week.

Traffic on the 86-km-long Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.