SRINAGAR : The Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country since Friday last due to closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway following landslides, triggered by fresh heavy rains.
Several thousand vehicles, including trucks carrying essentials, are stranded at Jammu and other places on the highway for the past about one week.
Meanwhile, a large number of passengers stranded at Jammu bus stand are demanding that they be airlifted to Srinagar. Traffic police official said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, has already pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to repair the damaged portion of the highway and also remove landslides.
“We expect to put through the highway later today, if weather remains dry,” a BRO official said.
Traffic will be resumed only after the highway is cleared of all landslides and declared safe for journey, as shooting stones continued in some areas, particularly in Ramban and Ramsu area. The Highway was initially closed for one-day on Friday afternoon to allow BRO to undertake repair work so that vehicles could pass safely.
However, heavy rains triggered fresh landslides at several places on the highway.
Several thousand vehicles, including those carrying fresh vegetables and oil tankers for Kashmir valley, are stranded at Jammu, Udhampur and other places on the highway, resulting in shortage of essentials in the summer capital. Large number of empty trucks and oil tankers are also stranded for the past about one week on this side of the Jawahar tunnel. Large number of Kashmir-bound passengers, including women and children, are stranded at Jammu bus stand for the past about one week.
The passengers alleged that they have no money and authorities are also not taking any relief measures for them. Demanding airlifting from Jammu to Srinagar, the passengers said for the past about one week, they are stranded at the bus stand.
(AGENCIES)
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