SRINAGAR : Only one-way traffic will continue on the national highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, and vehicles will ply from Srinagar to Jammu today.
Meanwhile, major snow clearance operation has been launched to restore road communication with dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), which remained cut off from their district headquarters for the past three months.
Snow clearance operation was also continuing on a war-footing on national highway connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir and historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, likely to reopen within next two weeks if there is no more snowfall.
Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers and empty trucks and oil tankers, left Srinagar this morning for Jammu. ”Since only one-way traffic will continue till further orders, we have allowed traffic from Srinagar to Jammu”, a traffic police official said.
He said no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction to avoid any traffic jam or accident as road is still very narrow at some places due to landslides.
However, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway is working to put through the highway for both ways, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
Traffic official said that normal two-way traffic on the highway will be resumed only after the road is declared safe for normal traffic movement, he said.
Traffic on the highway remained disrupted frequently since first major snowfall on January 6, resulting in shortage and price rise of essentials, particularly vegetables in the valley.
Meanwhile, the Ladakh region remained cut off from the Kashmir valley due to closure of the national highway due to accumulation of several feet of snowfall.
The BEACON authorities have started snow clearance operation to put through the highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir.
The highway upto Sonamarg is likely to reopen with next two weeks. Major snow clearance operation has been started on the historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, which remained shut due to snow for the past three months.
Officials said it will take about two weeks to put through the road provided there is no fresh snowfall. Dozens of village, including near the LoC in Machil sector, remained cut off from district headquarters due to accumulation of several feet of snow.
The border town of Gurez, surrounded by Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), also remained cut off from district headquarters Bandipora due to snow. The road is likely to reopen in summer.
A number of other far-flung and remote areas also remained cut off from their respective district headquarters. (AGENCIES)
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