Srinagar, Feb 3 (UNI) Despite fresh snowfall, the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only all weather road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, was through for one-way traffic on Wednesday.
However, 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 Ist for winter months, he said. However, despite minus 30 degree temperature, work on Zojila tunnel to make it all weather road was going on.
There was a fresh snowfall on both sides of the Jawahar tunnel, Shaitan Nallah, Banihal and Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway this morning.
However, the highway was still through for traffic, a traffic police official told UNI this morning.
He said today traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu and no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction.
Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will have to cross Zig Qazigund between 0800 hrs to 1200 hrs, he said adding no vehicle will be allowed after cut off timing. Jammu bound Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed from Zig Qazigund after LMV, he added.
Traffic official said security forces 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 time to repair the damage. Security forces are advised to ply Srinagar towards Jammu today.
