SRINAGAR : Despite rain the national highway, connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country was through for traffic with some restrictions while Ladakh region remained cut off since December last year.
Meanwhile, despite clearance of snow, the historic Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch remained closed while border town of Gurez in north Kashmir also remained cut off.
A traffic police official told UNI that heavy vehicles will continue to ply alternate days from Kashmir and Jammu keeping in view the condition of road stretch between Batote and Banihal. However, the passenger vehicles will ply from both sides.
The width of the road formation has shrunk due to sliding, particularly at Mandir point Patnitop, Kiker More Batote, Nashri, Dilwas, Peera and Wagan Ramso where only one way movement of traffic is possible.
He said today vehicles, including those carrying passengers besides heavy vehicles will play from Srinagar to Jammu. However, movement of all types of Jammu bound passenger vehicles shall be permitted from Qazigund from 0500 hrs to 1500 hrs whereas movement of load carriers shall be permitted from 0600 hrs to 1300 hrs only.
He said it has been decided to allow passenger vehicles from both sides adding the movement of passenger vehicles bound for Srinagar, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Banihal shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) from 0400 hrs to 1200 hrsk only. Strict implementation of the cut off time willl be ensured.
Meanwhile, snow on the historic Mughal road, which was closed since December last year, has been cleared. However, there is a forecast for more snow and rain during the next few days, the road was not opened. Official sources said snow accumulated on the highway has been cleared and vehicles can ply through huge wall of snow on both sides of the road, which would be declared open anytime now provided there is avalanche or landslides.
Snow clearance operation by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) responsible for the maintainance of the highway was going on war footing on the road connecting the Ladakh region with Kashmir. The BRO had earlier announced to put through the highway a month earlier following less snowfall during the winter. However, late snowfall in March has delayed reopening of the highway, closed since December last year.
The Centre has already approved a tunnel at Zojila pass to make it all weather road. Sources said it will take few more weeks to clear the snow and repair the road before allowing traffic on the highway.
Sources said road from Bandipora to Gurez on the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir and Synthan to Kishtwar also remained closed since December last year. (AGENCIES)
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