Srinagar-Leh, Mughal road remain shut, one-way traffic on Kashmir highway

Srinagar, Mar 23: The national highway, the only road linking Ladakh region with Kashmir valley remained closed since December last year though a massive snow clearance operation has been started from both sides of Zojila pass, where fresh snowfall was received recently.

Snow clearance operation has also been started on 86-km-long historic Mughal road which connects Shopian in Pulwama and Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region. The road remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow. The Anantnag-Kishtwar road has also remained closed since December for the same reason.

Meanwhile, only one-way traffic continued on the national highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country and traffic on Saturday will ply from Jammu to Srinagar.

There was fresh snowfall on Srinagar-Leh national highway, particularly between Sonamarg-Zojila-Meenmarg and Drass recently hampering snow clearance operation launched by Beacon authorities. There is six feet to 12 feet of snow accumulated on the highway besides threat of avalanches, official sources said adding the road is likely to reopen next month provided there is no more snowfall.

The Government of India (GoI) has already approved construction of a tunnel at Zojila to make it all weather road.

A traffic police official told TNN that only one-way traffic was allowed on Saturday on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which remained closed frequently due to landslides and shooting stones.

On Saturday, vehicles will ply from Jammu to Srinagar, he said adding the Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) have to cross Jakhani, Udhampur between 0900 hrs to 1200 hrs. The Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed from Udhampur after 1200 hrs, he said adding no vehicle will be allowed after the deadline.

He said people are requested to undertake journey on the highway only after confirming status of the road from Traffic Control Units (TCUs) Srinagar, Ramban and Jammu. However, he warned that people should not undertake night journey on the highway.