SRINAGAR : Despite rain the national highway, connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country and historic Mughal road linking south valley with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region were through for one-way traffic.
The 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway, the only road linking the Ladakh region with Kashmir valley, also remained through for both ways though only one-way is allowed on Zojila pass.
Official sources said that Srinagar-Jammu highway was through for one-way and only up convoy was allowed despite rain. No vehicle was allowed from Srinagar to Jammu today, they said adding that as per schedule down covoy was to ply tomorrow.
However, light passenger vehicles will be allowed from both sides tomorrow to allow devotees from different parts of the country to participate in Mela Khirbhawani festival being celebrated on May 26 in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal. The Mela is important festival of Kashmiri pandits, who are visiting the Khirbhawani temple every year.
A traffic police official said hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers and trucks loaded with essentials left Jammu this morning for Kashmir. A number of vehicles carrying pandit devotees are also on way to valley to participate in the mela.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintainance of the highway, has been working to repair the road damaged due to soil erosion and landslides in winter to put through the road for both ways keeping in view tourist season and annual Amarnath yatra, commencing from July 2.
Only one-way taffic is allowed for the past about five months on the Kashmir highway which remained closed frequently during this winter resulting in shortage of essentials in the valley.
Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has already taken up the issue of highway with Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, Director General of Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Traffic official said Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region was also through for one-way traffic. He said traffic would ply from Rajouri and Poonch to Kashmir tomorrow and subject to weather and road condition vehicles would be allowed from here to Jammu region.
The Ladakh highway was also through for both ways. However, vehicles from one side had to pass the Zojila pass, where the Centre has approved to construct a tunnel to make it all weather road. (AGENCIES)
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