Srinagar
The Srinagar-Jammu highway was again closed for fresh traffic on Tuesday to complete repair of the road which was washed away on Friday night at Digdol.
However, several thousand of trucks, particularly carrying fruit, stranded for the past about two weeks will be allowed to move towards Jammu in the afternoon once the repair work is completed, a traffic police official said on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Leh highway and historic 86-km-long Mughal and Anantnag-Kishtwar roads remained closed for the past 14 days on Tuesday due to accumulation of several feet of snow and slippery road condition.
Traffic on the highway was suspended on Friday night after a portion of the road was washed away due to landslides at Digdol. However, the men were immediately pressed into service sophisticated machines and men and finally put through the highway on Monday. Later, Kashmir-bound stranded vehicles, including those carrying passengers and essentials, were allowed to move. Today the NHAI has again started repair work at Digdol, he said adding the work is likely to be completed by this afternoon when Jammu bound stranded Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed to move. However, no fresh vehicle will be allowed from Jammu or Srinagar, he said.
Meanwhile, he said once the highway is put through again only one-way traffic will continue to ply on the highway till further orders to avoid traffic jam. He appealed to people to strictly follow the advisory being issued by the traffic department daily. He appealed to people to contact Traffic Control Units (TCUs) at Srinagar, Jammu and Ramban before starting journey on the highway.
The historic Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, remained closed for the past 14 days on Tuesday due to accumulation of snowfall and slippery road conditions.
The 434-km-long highway, the only road connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir also remained closed for the past 14 days due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions. (UNI)
