SRINAGAR: Traffic will ply from Jammu to Srinagar for the second consecutive day on Tuesday on the highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
Only Kashmir-bound Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will be allowed to ply on the highway, official sources said this morning.
The sources said keeping in view the condition of the road and weather, advisory for fresh snowfall during the next 24 hours, only Jammu to Srinagar traffic will ply for the second day today. However, only LMVs will be allowed, they said, adding that the vehicles had to cross Nagrota between 0600 hrs to 0900 hrs. No vehicle will be allowed after the deadline, they said.
Similarly, no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction, they said. Meanwhile, due to slippery conditions after freezing of snow water, there is no chance of resumption of traffic on the historic 86-km-long Mughal and Anantnag-Kishtwar roads during winter. Traffic on the Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, was closed on December 11 due to heavy snowfall, particularly at Pir-ki-Gali, they said. The sources said the 434-km-long National Highway, the only road linking Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir, also remained closed for the past 21 days on Tuesday due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions. The road has become very slippery due to below freezing temperature between Sonamarg-Zojila-Zero point-Meenmarg and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia. There is very bleak chance of reopening of the road during winter, they said.
The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, has already announced closure of the highway for winter months. However, Union Territory (UT) Ladakh administration alleged that they were not consulted before announcing closure of the highway. Meanwhile, people in Kargil, a border town on the highway, alleged that due to early snowfall this year, they could not stock enough essentials. (agencies)
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