RINAGAR: The Sadhna and Razdan passes, connecting far-flung and remote areas, including near the Line of Control (LoC) remained open for the first time during 40-day-long Chilai-Kalan, severest period of winter due to very less snowfall this time.
However, the national highway, linking the Ladakh region with Kashmir and historic Mughal road, being seen as an alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway, remained closed.
Meanwhile, Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) traffic will continue to ply one way on 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway while Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) traffic will ply from both sides.
Barring few days, the Sadhna top, which connects Tangdhar and other border areas with Kupwara, remained open during this winter, including the Chilai Kalan. However, 11 people, including an officer of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), lost their lives in a snow avalanche at Sadhna top on January 7 this year.
The road is through for traffic, official sources said.
They said similarly Razan pass, connecting border town of Gurez and other areas near LoC with district headquarters Bandipora also remained open.
However, only one-way traffic is allowed to avoid any accident, they added. This is for the first time that the road remained open for traffic during this time of the winter due to very less snowfall, they added.
The road normally remain closed for six winter months. However, despite less snowfall, the national highway, connecting Ladakh with Kashmir remained closed due to slippery road conditions.
The road has become very slippery as the mercury remained below freezing point and it will be very risky to allow traffic, particularly between Sonamarg-Zojila and Meenmarg. However, traffic from border town of Drass and Kargil to Leh was plying, they added.
Similarly due to accumulation of snow which had frozen on roads making it slippery, the 86-km-long Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch remained closed.
Meanwhile, LMV traffic was plying from both Srinagar and Jammu sides on the highway, connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country. However, HMV traffic will continue to ply one-way only as road widening and repair was going on at several places.
A traffic police official said on Wednesday that HMV traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu only and no heavy vehicle, including security force convoy, will be allowed from opposite direction.
However, the vehicles have to pass Qazigund by 0700 hrs and Jawahar Tunnel by 1230 hrs. No vehicle will be allowed after the deadline, he said. (AGENCIES)
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