Srinagar, Nov 3 One-way traffic resumed on 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road linking Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, after remaining closed since early Saturday morning due to landslides, triggered by rain.
The historic 86-km-long historic Mughal road also remained shut for the third day today due to snowfall and slippery road conditions.
‘We allowed one-way traffic from Kashmir to Jammu after landslides were cleared,’ a traffic police official told UNI. No vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction, he added.
He said traffic on the Kashmir highway was suspended this morning following landslides, triggered by rain, at several places between Ramban and Ramsu.
He said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to clear the landslides and put through the traffic. The official said, ‘Today, we have announced to allow movement of passenger and Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) from Srinagar to Jammu only.’
Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying essentials for Kashmir and fruits from here to mandis across the country are still stranded on the highway.
Since the NHAI is working for construction of four-lane road, only one-way traffic is allowed on the highway badly affecting export of fruits from here and imports of essentials for different parts of the country.
Nothing can be said when the historic Mughal road will reopen since there is heavy snowfall and road also remained slippery due to below freezing point temperature during the night.
In a tweet early this morning, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Poonch Rajeev Panday said, ‘Around 60 truck drivers rescued from Peer ki Gali who were stuck due to snowfall with the help of Indian Army (6 sector , 16 RR ) Romeo Force.’
However, he said those drivers refused to come on Thursday night with the rescue party.
He said the drivers did not come as they thought that weather will improve and they may get an opportunity to move. http://www.uniindia.com/kashmir-highway-reopens-for-one-way-mughal-road-remains-shut-for-3rd-day (UNI)
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