Highway connecting Ladakh with Kashmir remains closed

Srinagar, Nov 16 (UNI) The national highway, the only road connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir remained closed for traffic for the third consecutive day on Monday due to slippery road conditions following intermittent snowfall during the past three days.
Traffic remained suspended on the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway following snowfall at Sonamarg, Zojila pass, Meenmarg and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, a traffic police official told UNI.
He said no vehicle was allowed from Sonmarg, in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal, on the highway due to snowfall. However, road from Srinagar to Sonmarg was through after snow was cleared, he said.
He said the Border Roads Organistion (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway has pressed into service sophisticated machines to clear the snow.
However, traffic will be resumed only if there is improvement in the weather and snow is cleared from the highway, he added.
Meanwhile, a high-level committee has been constituted to make necessary arrangements to keep the highway open till December 31st this year.
The road remained closed during winter months due to ten to 20 feet of snowfall at Zojila and other places besides threat of avalanches. However, work on the tunnel at Zojla pass has already been started to make the highway all weather road.
Meanwhile, authorities claimed to have stored essentials, including rice, atta, gas cylinders, petrol and diesel besides other items at different places in Ladakh region.