SRINAGAR: It seems as if refuges are fleeing from war torn Syria. A picture posted by a concerned commuter shows hundreds of desperate passengers, stranded on Jammu-Srinagar Highway attempting to cross a footbridge—only half standing. It is worth a million words and offers an idea of what is happening to Kashmir in twenty-first century.

On this broken-down culvert, located over pass near Ramsoo, people are seen climbing by the ropes from the mid-standing pillar, around twenty feet high, in complete jeopardy. It is pathetic and dangerous but also offers an idea of how courage manifests itself. Once, they are on top of the culvert, they are using ropes to pull up their luggage. It is almost akin to what happened in last century when the people moving to Punjab were using ropes to manage passes.

On Sunday traffic on Jammu-Srinagar highway was opened after four days of continue closure , but was suspended all over again after massive land sliding near ‘perilous’ Panthiyal in the afternoon. Between the Monkey Mode and the Battery Cheshma, a complete hillock has slided and bisected the run-down highway.

The videos of sliding from the site were uploaded by stranded passengers on social media and it was appearing as if some massive earthquake has stuck or the scenes are from some Hollywood science fiction.

Massive rocks were sliding down in the basement and a thin line, road to Srinagar, was demising with the loud bangs of the shooting stones.

Police officials said that, none of the vehicle was allowed to cross Ramban.

However some passengers went on to cross by foot.

Walking around five kilometres, these passengers reached to this broken-down bridge and with the help of ropes climbed on the concrete pillar.

As per a local reporter, who works for Radio Kashmir Srinagar, the bridge is standing only half and that too is not safe. However, some people put their lives in risk and climbed that mid-standing pillar of this broken-down connectivity.

In the one picture as people are climbing and cluttering aground, a policeman with a stick in his hand is standing as spectator at the site.

Eyewitnesses said that, there was no authority to stop them till 6 in the evening. Any small mishap on this kaput passing could have lead to a major mishap, the eyewitnesses said.

Meanwhile, today morning as massive slides stuck again, locals say that access to this “bride” has become more dangerous.

Since Sunday afternoon when the photograph started making rounds on the virtual world, Kashmir Life talked to almost a dozen people who had shared it on their walls, but could not reach the man who actually clicked it. It is a great depiction of the crisis that people in Kashmir are faced with.

But, as per the reports reaching in, Air force teams have intervened and have placed ladders on the broken part. But it is still not confirmed.

People have begun to cross from morning on the same bridge as opening of road is looking far due to fresh sliding.

There are thousands of people who already spend night on the road and for now no one knows when Panthiyal would let them pass.

Since Sunday afternoon when the photograph started making rounds on the virtual world, Kashmir Life talked to almost a dozen people who had shared it on their walls, but could not reach the man who actually clicked it. It is a great depiction of the crisis that people in Kashmir are faced with.

Authorities should have improved the accessibility of the run down culvert which can only be accessed by daring and young. What about women and children?

Efforts to get authorities react to the situation failed. Traffic police say they are doing their utmost to manage some kind of movement as the Border Roads Organization is working overtime to clear the blockages on the road. They say they are keeping people informed about the situation and help ease the tensions and overcrowding. There are thousands of people stranded on the two sides of the road connecting Kashmir with Jammu.

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