Srinagar-Jammu highway closed after retaining wall of bridge collapses
Posted at: Jan 11 2021 2:26PM
Srinagar/Traffic on the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, remained suspended on Monday after retaining wall of a bridge in Ramban collapsed on Sunday evening.
The historic 86-km-long Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar roads also remained shut since last week of December last year due to accumulation of snow while the national highway, the only road linking Kashmir valley with the rest of the country has been closed for winter months.
Over 3000 vehicle, including those carrying passengers and trucks loaded with essentials. are stranded on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway which was closed after retaining wall of a main bridge at Kela Morh collapsed last evening, official sources told UNI.
There is no alternative way to resume traffic on the highway, they said adding traffic movement will be allowed only after the wall is constructed again to make travel over the bridge safe.
However, authorities are working to resume traffic on the lifeline Srinagar-Jammu highway as valley is entirely dependent upon imports of essentials , including petroleum products, LPG, vegetables and warm cloths from different northern states. A single day closure of the highway result in sharp shortage and increase in prices of essentials in the valley.
Sources said after the traffic was resumed after remaining suspended for over four days, over 5000 vehicles, mostly trucks carrying essentials and oil tankers, arrived in the valley.
The Mughal road, which is seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway also remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions. The road connects Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region.
The road connecting Anantnag in south Kasshmir with Kishtwar in Jammu region also remained closed due to snowfall.
The Srinagar-Leh national highway has also been declared closed for winter months by the authorities.