One-way traffic resumes from Sgr to Jammu
SRINAGAR : Traffic was resumed on the national highway, linking the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country, after remaining suspended since last evening due to landslides.
After clearing all Kashmir-bound vehicles stranded at various places on the other side of the Jawahar Tunnel, fresh vehicles, including those carrying passengers, were allowed to ply from Srinagar to Jammu on the 300-km-long national highway this afternoon.
“Fresh traffic has been allowed from Srinagar to Jammu, after all the vehicles stranded on the national highway since yesterday due to landslides, have been cleared, a traffic police official said.
Yesterday, vehicles were allowed from Jammu to Srinagar. But, about 400 Kashmir-bound, including those carrying passengers and trucks laden with essentials, were stranded on the highway due to fresh landslides.
However, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, pressed into service sophisticated machines and men and cleared the landslides and put through the road.
After clearing all the stranded vehicles, fresh one-way traffic was allowed from Srinagar to Jammu at around 1430 hrs.
Traffic has been frequently disrupted on the highway since January 6 when there was first heavy snowfall in the region after about six month dry spell.
Though the BRO had been making all efforts to keep the highway open, but heavy snowfall coupled with landslides, has forced authorities to close the highway frequently during the past two month.
The traffic department later decided to allow only one-way traffic on the highway for free movement of vehicles.
However, frequent closure of the highway and allowing only one-way traffic has resulted in increase in the prices of essentials, particularly fresh vegetables as there is hardly any local vegetable available in the Valley during winter.
Meanwhile, historic Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, remained closed. The road is seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway. (AGENCIES)
