KL Report
SRINAGAR
The historic Mughal Road which connects Kashmir with Jammu region through Shopian and Poonch districts has been thrown open for one-way traffic for all types of vehicles from May 3. The arterial road communication is closed in the winter due to heavy snowfall and used to get reopened in the last week of May every year.
“It was strictly in compliance to the instructions of Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed that we ensured re-opening of this road one month earlier to its scheduled time frame while efforts are on to open the road for two-way traffic within two weeks,” said Minister for Public Works, Floriculture and Gardens & Parks Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari. He said the vehicular movement will give a sigh of relief to the locals particularly the traders’ community of both the regions. He added that this road not only gives a flip to economic activity but has a significant social impact in all the areas that are connected by this vital road link.
He said Government extended all possible help to the authorities looking after Mughal Road by pressing into service its mechanical engineering department to clear snow from this vital road connectivity. He said this will surely benefit the people of the Jammu regions and the Kashmir valley, especially traders of both the regions. He said concerned authority has been directed to fast track the repairs and restoration of damaged road stretches as early as possible so that road is opened for two way traffic early.
Chief Engineer Mughal Roads Shri Raman Puri while giving details of the traffic movement on the road said that traffic will be allowed strictly from 10 PM to 04:00 PM in view of frost conditions and shooting stones in higher reaches of the road. He said on May 03, 04, 06, 08 and 11 May, the traffic will ply from Jammu to Srinagar while on May 05, 07, 10 and 12, the traffic will be allowed to ply from Srinagar to Jammu. “There will be no traffic movement on May 9 to allow the department to carry out necessary maintenance of the road”, he added.
The Chief Engineer said that the snow clearance and removing landslides is in progress to make the road motorable for two-way traffic.
