SRINAGAR : Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying essentials besides passengers, left Jammu for Kashmir this morning as only one-way traffic will continue on the highway, linking the valley with the rest of the country.
Meanwhile, historic Mughal road remained closed for the past three months though massive snow clearance operation was also going on.
The national highway, linking the Ladakh region with Kashmir, also remained closed.
Since only one-way traffic will continue till further orders, we have allowed traffic from Jammu to Srinagar today, a traffic police official said. No vehicle, including Army and other security forces, 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 hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying essentials, particularly fresh vegetables, left Jammu for Kashmir this morning. However, despite arrival of essentials, prices of vegetables and chicken remained high. Similarly vehicles carrying passengers are also on way to Srinagar today.
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. The authorities and Mughal road development authority have also started snow clearance operation on the historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, which remained closed for the past three months due to snow.
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 headquarter 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 headquarter 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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