One-way traffic resumes on Kashmir highway, vehicles to ply from Srinagar to Jammu only

Srinagar, Apr 16 : One-way traffic has been resumed on the national highway, the only all weather road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, after remaining disrupted for several hours due to landslides, a traffic police official said on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, civilian traffic will remain suspended on Wednesday due to ban imposed by the authorities to allow free and safe movement of security force vehicles on the highway. The decision to ban civilian traffic twice in a week, -”Sunday and Wednesday”-was taken after Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) fidayeen attack at Awantipora in Pulwama in which 44 CRPF personnel were killed on February 14. Later, similar unsuccessful attempt was made by militants in Jawahar tunnel area.

The traffic police official said vehicles will ply from Srinagar to Jammu and no traffic, including security force convoy, will be allowed from opposite direction.Traffic on the highway was suspended yesterday afternoon following landslides at Digdol in Ramban area.

Hundreds of Kashmir bound vehicles got stranded at different places. However, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were immediately pressed into service with sophisticated machines and men to clear the landslides. Later, he said, the stranded vehicles were allowed to move towards Kashmir after the landslides were removed.

Today we allowed traffic from Srinagar to Jammu and Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) have to cross Levdora Qazigund between 0600 hrs to 0900 hrs, he said adding Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed from Qazigund from 1300 hrs.

However, no vehicle will be allowed after the deadline, he said and added that people are requested to contact Traffic Control Units (TCUs) at Srinagar, Ramban and Jammu before starting journey on the highway.Meanwhile, snow clearance operation was going on historic Mughal road which remained closed since November last year due to snow. The road, seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway, is connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region.

Snow clearance operation was also going on Anantnag and Kishtwar in Jammu.