SRINAGAR : The Ladakh region remained cut off from the Kashmir valley for the fourth day today due to closure of the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway following accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.
Meanwhile, hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers and trucks, are stranded at different places on the highway.
The highway, linking the Ladakh region with Kashmir remained closed following snow accumulation at several places due to which the road has become slippery, a traffic police official told.
He said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway has already pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to put through the road.
However, during evening and morning hours, the road gets slippery due to snow accumulation, hampering the clearance operation.
The road is likely to be reopened later today or tomorrow morning if there is no snow and weather remains dry, he said.
The highway was closed following one to two feet of snowfall at Sonamarg, Zojila pass, Meenmarg and Zero point early this week.
Large number of vehicles, including empty trucks and those carrying passengers are stranded at different places, including Drass and Kargil on the other side of the Zojila pass. Similarly, dozens of vehicles are stranded on this side of the pass.
However, the divisional authorities have already stocked enough essentials for six winter months at different places in the Ladakh region, including Leh, Kargil, Sankoo and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia.
The region remains cut off from Kashmir for six winter months due to ten to 20 feet of snowfall and avalanches, particularly in Zojila area. However, the central and state governments have already decided to construct a tunnel at Zojila to make the highway all weather road.
Since the past few years, the highway remains open till weather permits. Earlier, it was closed from November 1 every year to reopen in May. (UNI)
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