Ganderbal, March 13,: The strategic Srinagar–Leh highway remained closed for the fourth consecutive day on Friday following heavy snowfall in the higher reaches, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded in the Drass and Sonamarg areas, officials and sources said.
Authorities said traffic movement on the highway was suspended after significant snowfall accumulated along the Zojila Pass, a key mountain corridor connecting Kashmir with the Ladakh region.
The prolonged closure has disrupted the movement of vehicles, with many trucks and passenger vehicles halted on both sides of the highway due to unsafe road conditions.
However, officials said snow clearance operations resumed on Friday after weather conditions improved across the region.
The Border Roads Organisation and Project Vijayak, responsible for maintaining the highway, have deployed snow cutters and other heavy machinery to clear accumulated snow and restore traffic movement at the earliest.
Officials said teams began clearing snow simultaneously from both sides of the highway to expedite the reopening of the road.
Sources involved in the operation said that nearly one and a half feet of fresh snowfall had been recorded in the Gumri sector, one of the most critical stretches of the route.
The heavy accumulation of snow created hazardous conditions for vehicles, prompting authorities to keep the road closed as a precautionary measure.
“Snow clearance operations have been launched after improvement in weather conditions and machinery has been pressed into service to restore the highway,” a source associated with the operation said.
Officials added that road clearance work has already progressed significantly, with snow removed from the Panimatha area up to Zojila Pass.
Teams are now continuing operations on other stretches where snow accumulation remains heavy.
The Srinagar–Leh highway is considered a vital lifeline for the Ladakh region, serving as a key route for the transportation of essential supplies, fuel and goods between Kashmir and Ladakh.
Authorities said that reopening the highway remains a priority due to its strategic and logistical importance.
The latest closure comes despite the highway remaining operational during much of March this year, an unusual development given that the route often remains shut during winter due to harsh weather conditions.
Officials noted that the situation changed after continuous rainfall in the Kashmir plains over the past three days triggered heavy snowfall in the higher reaches of the Zojila sector.
The snowfall caused a fresh build-up of snow on the highway, forcing authorities to suspend traffic as a safety precaution.
Local sources said hundreds of vehicles, including trucks carrying goods, remain stranded near Sonamarg and Drass while waiting for the highway to reopen.
Authorities said the reopening of the highway will depend on the completion of snow clearance operations and a fresh assessment of road safety conditions.
Officials expressed hope that if weather conditions remain favourable, traffic movement on the highway could be restored soon. [KNT]
