Mughal Road to reopen tomorrow

The Mughal Road which connects Kashmir with Jammu region through Shopian and Poonch districts will be thrown open for one-way traffic for all types of vehicles from tomorrow.
The arterial road communication closes in the winter due to heavy snowfall and reopens in the last week of May every year.
"It was strictly in compliance to the instructions of Chief Minister Mufti Syed that we ensured reopening of this road a month earlier to its scheduled time frame while efforts are on to open the road for two-way traffic within two weeks," Minister for Public Works Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said.

He said the vehicular movement will give a sigh of relief to the locals particularly the traders' community of both the regions.
"This road not only gives a fillip to economic activity but has a significant social impact in all the areas that are connected by this vital road link," he said.
Bukhari said the 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.

The Minister said authorities concerned have been directed to fast-track the repairs and restoration of damaged road stretches as early as possible so that the road is opened for two-way traffic early.

Chief Engineer Mughal Roads Raman Puri while giving details of the traffic movement on the road, said that traffic will be allowed strictly from 10 am to 4 pm in view of frost conditions and shooting stones in higher reaches of the road.
He said that on May 3, 4, 6, 8 and 11, traffic will ply from Jammu to Srinagar while on May 5, 7, 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 said.

The Chief Engineer said that the process of snow clearance and removing of landslides is in progress to make the road motorable for two-way traffic.