Kashmir highway closed for repair work; Leh NH, Mughal road open
Srinagar, Dec 4 (UNI) No traffic was allowed on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, on Friday due to maintenance of road.
Meanwhile, one-way traffic was plying on 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway and historic 86-km-long Mughal road.
The Union Territory government has ordered closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway on every Friday in the month of December to allow agencies, responsible for the maintenance and widening of the highway, to undertake necessary work for smooth plying of vehicles during winter.
“No vehicular movement will be allowed on 280-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway from either side in view of maintenance of the road,” a traffic police official told UNI.
He said one-way traffic was plying on Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region. “Only trucks, carrying fresh fruits and vegetables, will be allowed from Shopian in south Kashmir to Poonch in Jammu region between 1100 hrs to 1500 hrs. “No vehicle will be allowed after the cutoff timing,” he said, adding no passenger vehicle will be allowed on the Mughal road.
He said today traffic will ply from Kargil to Srinagar on Leh highway, connecting Ladakh with Kashmir valley. “Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will have to pass Minamarg followed by Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) between 0830 hrs to 1400 hrs,” he said.
No vehicle will be allowed after cut off timing or from opposite direction, he said, adding security force vehicles will have to follow same schedule.
He said the authorities had to use salt and urea to melt the frozen road at several places, including Zojila pass, Zero point, Meenmarg and India Gate before allowing traffic on the Srinagar-Leh national highway. “Drivers were advised to carry anti-skid chains to gain more grip on the slippery road,” he added.