SRINAGAR: The national highway, connecting the Ladakh region with the Kashmir valley, has been closed for winter months to avoid any accident following slippery road conditions due to blow freezing temperature.
“We have closed the highway from today as per orders by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir,” a traffic police official said.
He said the road has become very slippery particularly at Zojila, Meenmarg, Zero-Point, India Gate and other places,where the mercury remained below minus 10 to minus 15 degree Celsius during the night and sub zero during the day.
The mercury would witness further drop during the coming winter days. Official said no vehicle was stranded at any place on the highway as prior announcement was made that highway will be closed for traffic from today.
In the past, the highway was being closed for six winter months from November 1 every year. However, for the past few years due to good weather and road conditions, road remained open till there is no threat of accident.
This year too the highway received snowfall in November and this month, forcing authorities to suspend the traffic for several days before it was put through after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) put into service sophisticated machine and men to clear the accumulated snow.
Zojila pass is the main hurdle in keeping the highway open throughout the year. However, the Centre and state governments have already sanctioned a tunnel at Zojila to make it all weather road.
Meanwhile, the authorities claimed to have stored all essentials commodities, including rice, wheat flour, sugar, kerosene oil, diesel, petrol, LPG cylinders and medicine at different places in the Ladakh region for winter months. Government agencies and private contractors have also stored construction material, including cement and iron to start the work immediately after winter when the Srinagar-Leh national highway still remained closed. (UNI)
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