Agencies
Srinagar, March 20:
Two-way Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) traffic was on Saturday resumed on the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway after remaining suspended for Friday maintenance and repair work.
However, Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will ply from Qazigund south Kashmir to Jammu only on the highway, a traffic police official said on Saturday.
There is a forecast for fresh rain and snowfall during the next 24 hours which could affect surface transport. Meanwhile, the national highway, the only road connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir, historic Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar road remained closed.
Traffic official said that LMVs were allowed to ply from both sides on the national highway, connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country after no traffic was allowed yesterday to allow the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to undertake necessary weekly maintenance and repair work on Friday. However, he said, Kashmir bound LMVs have to pass Nagrota between 0900 hrs to 1300 hrs and Jakheni Udhampur from 1000 hrs to 1400 hrs.
Similarly LMVs for Jammu will have to cross Zig Qazigund between 0900 hrs to 1300 hrs, he said adding no vehicle will be allowed after the cut off timing.
Only Jammu bound HMVs will be allowed to ply from Qazigund after tail of up convoy crosses Banihal, he said adding no HMV will be allowed from opposite direction.
Meanwhile, the national highway connecting Ladakh with Kashmir valley remained closed since January Ist, 2021 due to accumulation of snow. However, Beacon had cleared the snow and declared the highway open on February 28 only to suspend traffic again after few hours due to fresh snowfall and avalanches. There was fresh snowfall on the highway, particularly between Sonamarg, Zojila pass and Meenmarg during the past 48 hours.
There was fresh snowfall on the historic 86-km-long Mughal road which remained closed for any traffic or pedestrian movement since December last year. There are many avalanche prone areas on the road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region.
The Anantnag-Kishtwar road also remained closed due to accumulation of snow.
