Agencies
Srinagar, March 27:
Two-way Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) was resumed on Saturday on the 270-km-long Srinagar- Jammu national highway after remaining closed for weekly maintenance and repair on Friday, where there were fresh landslides and shooting at several places.
Meanwhile, the national highway, the only road linking the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir remained closed since January Ist, 2021 due to accumulation of snow and avalanches.
Traffic also remained suspended on historic 86-km-long Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar road, linking south Kashmir with Jammu region.
Traffic officials said today that no traffic movement was allowed on the highway from Srinagar or Jammu to allow National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to undertake weekly maintenance and repair work on the road, particularly between Nashree and Jawahar tunnel.
However, there were landslides and shooting stones at several places on the highway. However, the NHAI immediately put into service sophisticated machines and men to clear the landslides.
Due to uncertain conditions of the road because of frequent landslides and shooting stones, the traffic department had decided to announce traffic movement only on Saturday morning.
We allowed LMV traffic from both sides with some restrictions, traffic officials said adding vehicles coming from Jammu to Srinagar had to cross Nagrota between 0800 hrs to 1100 hrs and Jakhani Udhampur from 0900 hrs to 1200 hrs. Similarly Jammu bound LMVs have to cross Zig Qazigund between1000 hrs to 1300 hrs, he said adding no vehicle will be allowed after cut off timing.
About the Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs), he said subject to road condition HMVs will be allowed from Zig Qazigund towards Jammu after the tail of Kashmir bound LMVs cross Banihal.
He said Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region also remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow. Fresh snowfall last week affected snow clearance operations.
The Anantnag-Kishtwar road also remained closed due to accumulation of snow. The Srinagar-Leh national highway also remained closed since January Ist this year due to accumulation of snow and avalanche.
