Snowfall blocks strategic highway in Kashmir

Fresh spell of snowfall has thrown life out of gear in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the closure of strategic Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

According to the state authorities, over 300-kilometre-long highway has been closed for all types of vehicular traffic since early Thursday morning because of snowfall at some places.

The suspension has stranded hundreds of vehicles at various points of the highway.

The highway shall remain closed for traffic for uncertain period of time. In order to know the latest status of the highway the travelers would have to contact the control rooms at northern cities of Srinagar and Jammu.

A truck driver, Bilal Ahmed Shah, said if the road remains closed for a longer period of time, he will incur losses.

"I am facing problem as I have chickens loaded in my truck of rupees three lakh. If my truck remains stuck for long time, the chickens will die and I will have to incur loss. If the traffic opens up I may go and it would save me from the losses," said Shah.

The highway is Kashmir's only road link to the rest of the country as the railway track between Udhampur and Banihal towns in the Jammu region is yet to be laid.

The roads have turned slippery particularly above Patnitop right up to Jawahar Tunnel due to snow.

Rail service from north Kashmir's Baramulla district to Banihal in Jammu region is only operational at present.

People in Kashmir had been waiting for season's first snowfall but it snowed only in upper reaches, though majority of the towns received rainfall.