JK highway closed for 5th day as MHAI intensifies clearance ops

The 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which connects Kashmir with the rest of the country, remained closed for the fifth successive day on Tuesday, officials said.

Over 1,100 trucks carrying essential commodities to the Valley and those returning remain stranded on the arterial road due to multiple landslides, they said.

"Due to multiple landslides and threat of further landslides, the highway remained closed for the fifth day today," an official said.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is working to clear the highway and make it motorable but rainfall and movement of rocks from adjacent hills have made the task difficult, the officials said.

They said it would take some more time to clear the portion of the highway near the Battery Chasma area in Ramban district.

Traffic was suspended on the highway on Friday afternoon following multiple landslides at Cafeteria Morh, Monkey Morh, Ramban, Battery Chasma, Panyal Morh, Panthyal, Mompassi, Digdol, Sherbibi and Hingni areas.

Although the highway is closed to the public due to the nationwide lockdown to combat coronavirus, trucks ferrying essential commodities to the Valley were allowed to ply, the officials said.