Batote-Kishtwar highway closed due to fresh landslide

Excelsior Correspondent
KISHTWAR, Apr 4: The 110 kilometers Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway connecting Jammu and other parts of the State got closed due to fresh landslide triggered due to rains at Kuligad area near Drabshalla today.
Vehicles carrying essential commodities including vegetables, fruits, ration, petrol and diesel got stranded on the highway due to fresh landslide at Kuligad near Drabshalla this evening.
Some of the people de-boarded their respective passenger vehicles and reached their destination by trekking through alternate mountainous routes.
The workers engaged in the restoration of the road had a narrow escape when fresh landslide took place due to rains.
As the shooting stones continued till late evening, the vehicular movement on the highway remained suspended.
When contacted, District Development Commissioner (DDC) Kishtwar GN Balwan said that the highway got closed due to fresh landslide triggered due to rains at around 4 pm.
“We don’t want to take any risk so the vehicular movement has been stopped on the highway. Even the pedestrians will not be allowed to cross this landslide prone Kuligad area by foot”, Balwan added.
The landslide at this place has become a routine affair thus hampering the vehicular movement, he said, adding that now we will plan alternate ways to stop the land-sliding. The restoration work at this stretch of highway will start after weather improves, he maintained.
It is to mention here that three persons including a two-months-old baby girl were killed and seven others were injured due to landslide yesterday at this landslide prone Kuligad area near Drabshalla.

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