SRINAGAR : Despite rain since this morning, only one-way traffic continued on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway while highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir and historic Mughal road, remained closed since December last year.
The road from Bandipora to border town of Gurez and Synthan-Kishtwar also remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow.
A traffic police official said that only one-way traffic will continue on the highway, connecting the Kashmir valley with rest of the country till further orders as the road at several places, damaged due to recent landslides, triggered by rain, was still under repair.
Despite rain on the highway, vehicles, including those carrying passengers and essentials for Kashmir valley left Jammu this morning. However, no vehicle, will be allowed from opposite directions today,he said.
There was some landslides at Mehar and Nasri but these were removed immediately, he said, adding that road condition is being monitored to avoid any accident.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) responsible for the maintenance of the highway has pressed into service sophisticated machine and men to make the highway traffic worthy for both ways.
Fresh snowfall recently at Zojila and other areas on the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway has delayed early re-opening of the road. The BRO has already launched snow clearance operation by putting into service sophisticated machines on both sides of the Zojila pass.
The BRO had earlier announced to reopen the strategically important highway a month earlier this year because of less snowfall this winter. However, snowfall last week has hampered the snow clearance operation which could delay re-opening of the highway, closed since December last year. There is a forecast for more snow and rain in the Ladakh region during the next 48 hrs.
Snow clearance operation on the historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region remained closed since December last year, was going on a war footing following improvement in the weather after recent snowfall.
It will take more than a week to clear the snow at Pir-ki-Gali and other areas on the road. (AGENCIES)
Follow our WhatsApp channel