Only trucks carrying essential goods allowed to move on Jammu-Srinagar highway

Kashmir-bound trucks carrying essential commodities were allowed to continue their journey to Srinagar, as authorities Monday allowed restricted traffic movement on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, officials said.

Restrictions were put on vehicular movement on the 270-km highway due to heavy snowfall last week near the Jawahar Tunnel and landslides near the Banihal-Ramban stretch.

The highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, was opened on Sunday, but with restrictions.

"Only heavy motor vehicles, stranded on the highway for the past several days, were allowed towards Srinagar from the Jammu side. No traffic is being allowed from opposite direction, an official of the traffic department said.

He said the light motor vehicles were also not allowed from Jammu to Srinagar to allow smooth clearance of stranded fuel tankers and trucks carrying various goods to the valley..

The traffic on the highway usually plies from the twin capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir alternatively.

Earlier, heavy snowfall, multiple landslides and shooting of stones forced closure of the highway for six days from January 21.

The weatherman has predicted another spell of rain and snowfall from this evening up to February 8 which might affect the traffic on the highway once again.

Under the influence of western disturbance, scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rain or snowfall would occur over the state from Monday evening.

"The distribution and intensity of the rain or snow will increase thereafter with fairly widespread to widespread rain or snow with effect from February 5 to 8, an official of the Met department said.

He said the system will move forwrard from north-west to south-east of Jammu and Kashmir and again Pripanjal range from Bhaderwah to Baramulla will receive heavy rain snow especially on February 6 and 7.