SRINAGAR : The 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway remained closed for the second day today due to snowfall at varous places.
However, with the improvement in weather, efforts are going on to put through the highway, connecting the Ladakh region with the rest of the state.
A large number of vehicles, including those carrying passengers, are stranded on either side of the Zojila pass, which has been experiencing snowfall during the past 24 hours, resulting in considerable drop in the temperature and slippery road conditions.
Since there was slippery road conditions in Sonamarg, Zojila and Meenamarg, traffic movement remained suspended, official sources said adding the snow had frozen due to below freezing temperature.
The Border Roads Organistion (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, has pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to restore traffic.
A large number of vehicles, including trucks loaded with essentials for Ladakh region and those carrying passengers were stopped at safe places on this side of the Zojila, the sources told UNI.
They said similar vehicles, mostly empty trucks on way back to Srinagar, are also stranded at Drass and other places on other side of the pass.
The sources said normal traffic on the highway will be resumed once a green signal is received from BRO and traffic police officials.
The authorities racing against the time are stocking essentials in different parts of the Ladakh region which also remained cut off from their respective district headquarters of Leh and Kargil due to snowfall during winter.
(AGENCIES)
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