SRINAGAR: Dozens of far-flung and remote areas, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), remained cut off with their respective district and tehsil headquarters for the third consecutive day on Monday due to closure of Sadhna top, Z-Gali and Phirkiyan pass due to accumulation of snow and slippery road condition.
The Razdan pass, connecting border town of Gurez, surrounded by Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) from three sides, remained closed due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions for the past about two weeks.
However, the 300-km-long national highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, was through for one-way and traffic will ply from Jammu to Srinagar on Monday, while Ladakh and historic Mughal roads remained closed.
Traffic remained suspended on Sadhna pass, Z Gali and Phirkiyan since early Saturday due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions, a Police Control Room (PCR) official said over phone from Kupwara.
Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, besides border town of Kernah, Keran, Machil and Tangdhar, were cut off from Kupwara because of closure of these passes, he said, adding that traffic will be resumed only after improvement in the weather and reviewing of road condition.
However, there are some patients, who needed immediate shifting from some cut off areas to Kupwara, he said, adding that efforts are on for their transportation on Monday.
He said on the basis of information received from SASE, medium danger avalanche warning for next 24 hours has been issued on Friday evening for Baramulla, Gulmarg, Furkian-Z Gali and Kupwara-Chowkibal-Tangdhar, Bandipora and Ganderbal in the Valley.
This winter, there was very less snowfall as compared to previous years, when these roads remained closed for six months, he said and added that this time, roads to border towns of Keran, Karnah, Machil and Tangdhar remained open during the winter months, due to less snowfall.
However, 11 persons, including an officer of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), were killed in a snow avalanche at Sadhna top in January this year. Meanwhile, traffic on road connecting border areas, including Gurez and Neeru, with district headquarter Bandipora remained suspended since December last year due to accumulation of several feet of snow at Razdan top besides slippery condition.
A traffic police official said here that hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers and trucks loaded with essentials left different parts of Jammu for the valley.
No vehicle, including security force convoy, would be allowed from opposite direction, he added. Keeping in view the road widening and repair work at several places on the highway, only one way traffic will continue to ply till further orders to avoid traffic jam and accidents, he said.
However, people are requested to contact the Traffic Control Units (TCUs) before starting their journey on the highway. (AGENCIES)
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