Jammu-Srinagar national highway closed for repair work

The 270-km-long Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for traffic on Sunday to facilitate "necessary repair work", while one-way traffic resumed on 434-km Srinagar-Leh highway and Mughal road after remaining closed for several weeks due to heavy snowfall, officials said.

Inspector General of Police, traffic, Alok Kumar said vehicular movement on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was suspended for the day to allow road maintenance agencies to carry out "necessary repair work".

While convoys of security personnel were allowed to ply on the highway from both sides-- Srinagar and Jammu, civilian traffic was restricted.

The step was taken to ensure that the highway which was damaged by recent landslides in Ramban sector can be repaired and to facilitate the passage of security convoys.

Meanwhile, the 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway was reopened for one-way traffic on Sunday morning after remaining closed since November 27 following heavy snowfall in Zojilla pass and adjoining areas, the officials said.

They said the traffic was allowed to move from Kargil towards Srinagar after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which maintains the highway, gave the green signal after clearing snow from the road.

Similarly, the officials said that the Mughal road which connects the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region to south Kashmir's Shopian district was also cleared of accumulated snow and thrown open for one-way traffic after remaining closed for more than a month.

Traffic was allowed from Shopian side but the drivers were cautioned to drive carefully due to slippery conditions at some places, the officials said.

The Mughal road was closed for traffic on November 6 after most parts of Kashmir valley including Pir Ki Gali experienced first major snowfall.

After several weeks of hectic efforts, the road was cleared on November 26 but a fresh spell of snowfall delayed its reopening, the officials said.

Both Srinagar-Leh national highway and the Mughal road usually remain closed for traffic during winter months due to heavy snowfall.