Srinagar, Feb 1 (UNI) Traffic was disrupted on Monday due to fresh landslide on the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
As only one-way traffic is allowed on the highway, fresh Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will ply from Srinagar to Jammu after 1200 hrs, a traffic police official told UNI. Only Kashmir-bound stranded Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed to move towards Srinagar, he said.
He said there was a landslide in Banihal area affecting normal traffic movement on the highway this morning.However, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) immediately pressed into service machines and men and later put through the highway again.
There was light snowfall on both sides of the Jawahar tunnel early this morning. But traffic was being allowed as per schedule, the official said.
LMVs will be allowed only after 1200 hrs till 1500 hrs from Srinagar and Zig Qazigund between 1300 hrs to 1600 hrs towards Jammu. No vehicle will be allowed after cut off timing.
Only Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) and other load carriers stranded between Nashree and Banihal would be allowed towards Srinagar, he said adding no fresh HMV will be allowed from any side.
Security forces, he said, are advised not to ply against traffic plan in view of traffic congestion on the highway and narrowness of bailey bridge at Kela morh, where main concrete bridge was damaged after a retaining wall collapsed on January 10 evening. The baily bridge was installed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) after National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) said it will take about two weeks to repair the damage. Security forces are advised to ply Jammu towards Srinagar today.
Meanwhile, the historic 86-km-long Mughal road, connecting Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with Shopian in south Kashmir and Anantnag-Sampthan-Kishtwar road remained closed since last week of December last year due to accumulation of snow and slippery conditions.
The national highway, the only road linking Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir, has been closed since January 1 for winter months.
