SRINAGAR : The Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, remained closed for the third day today as a precautionary measure, affecting pilgrimage to Holy Amarnath cave shrine and other passengers, including tourists.
However, vehicles, mostly trucks and some passenger vehicles, stopped at different places on the highway, were allowed to move towards their respective destinations late last night.
A traffic police official said vehicles, mostly trucks which were stranded at Qazigund, gate of Kashmir were allowed to move towards Jammu late in the night.
All the vehicles later reached to their destinations early this morning safely, he said, adding that those stranded on other side of the Ramban were also allowed to move towards Kashmir late last night.
However, no vehicle was allowed from Jammu or Srinagar today.
The highway was closed on July 18 after massive demonstrations at different places on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in Ramban district, where people protested against beating up of Nimazees and an Imam allegedly by security forces previous night at Gool. However, security forces denied the allegations.
Five demonstrators were killed and several others were wounded when security forces and state police allegedly opened fire at Ramban on July 18.
A traffic police official said here that traffic remained suspended on this highway as a precautionary measure. However, he said, vehicles, which were stopped at different places on this side of the Jawhar tunnel, were cleared late last night.
He said Jammu-bound vehicles from this side are again being stopped at Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir as authorities do not want to take any chance.
However, Amarnath pilgrims were also advised to stay in base camps at Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps.
No vehicle is allowed beyond Qaigund from this side and Udhampur on Jammu side, he said.
He said traffic will be allowed from both sides when the situation improves and a green signal is received from administration.
(AGENCIES)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel