SRINAGAR : Work is continuing on a war-footing to restore two-way traffic on the national highway, connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country. Only one-way traffic has been plying for past three months on the highway, which witnessed frequent closures due to landslides and shooting stones this winter.
Meanwhile, the Mughal road, linking the south Kashmir with Poonch in Jammu and national highway, connecting the Ladakh region with the rest of the state remained closed for the past four months. Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC) also remained cut off from their respective district and tehsil headquarters in north Kashmir due to snow.
Only one-way traffic is allowed on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the lifeline of Kashmir, for the past about four months as the road was damaged at several places due to landslides.
The road has become very narrow at some places where two vehicles cannot pass together, leading to massive traffic jam despite one-way.
However, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has already pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to restore the damaged portion of the highway to make it two-way before the tourist season starts. Sources said it will still take a week or ten days to restore two-way traffic on the highway.
This winter the highway witnessed frequent closure due to landslides and shooting stones, leading to shortage of essentials, particularly vegetables in the valley.
Meanwhile, a massive snow clearance operation has been launched on Mughal road, connecting the south Kashmir with Poonch in Jammu region, which remained closed for the past four months.
The shopian district administration have pressed into service three snow cutters and other machines besides men to clear the snow on the highway, which could be put through early next month, officials engaged in the operation said.
Official sources said there was about 10 feet of snowfall at Pir Ki Gali and Dubjhan on the highway this winter, which remained closed for the past more than four months.
Snowfall recently has hampered the snow clearance operation, they said, adding that a major portion of the road from Shopian side has been cleared of snow.
However, big snow walls could be still seen on both sides of the road while operation to make it traffic worthy was continuing on a war-footing, they said.
However, the locals alleged that snow clearance operation was started very late and it will take more than a month to put through this historic road. They said this road could be used as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway which remained closed for frequently. However, they said until a tunnel is constructed the dream of making it all weather road could not be fulfilled.
They said if developed properly the ancient Mughal road could provide an opportunity to visit a unique region covering pristine scenic locations besides places with immense heritage, eco, and adventure tourism value accessible for them.
The region in the Himalayan Pir Panjal range is being promoted as a tourist circuit with diverse places of attraction including Mughal-era monuments, untouched forests, rolling meadows, springs, lakes, waterfalls and shrines. They said it is expected to emerge as the next big thing among the state’s tourist sites and further boost its tourism industry.
However, they alleged that government has so far not taken any interest to development it as tourist destination though some tourists, including foreigners, besides locals are visiting some spots on this historic road during the day time in summer because of no tourist infrastructure to stay for a night. Dozens of snow cutters and other sophisticated machines have been pressed into service by BRO who are working almost round the clock to clear the snow on the national highway, connecting the Ladakh region with the rest of the state.
Snow clearance operation was going on from both sides of the Zojila pass and it will take a week or so to put through the highway if everything goes smoothly, sources said.
Dozens of far flung and remote areas, including near the LoC remained cut off with their respective district and tehsil headquarters for the past about three months due to snow. (AGENCIES)
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