Only one-way traffic to continue on Kashmir highway

Srinagar/April,8: Only one-way traffic will continue to ply on
Srinagar-Jammu national highway, connecting Kashmir valley with the
rest of the country.
Traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu today, a traffic police
official said.
However, no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction as
only one-way traffic will continue to ply on the highway till further
orders.
He said hundreds of empty trucks and oil tankers besides
vehicles carrying passengers left Kashmir for Jammu this morning.
Traffic on the highway was disrupted frequently since January 6
when there was first major snowfall in the valley. Closure of the
highway resulted in shortage and increase of prices of essentials in
the valley, where everything is imported from different state.
However, BRO reopened the highway but only one-way traffic was
allowed as the road remained damaged and narrow at several places due
to landslides besides work on widening of road for four-line was also
going on.
Meanwhile, the Ladakh region remained cut off from the
Kashmir valley though the road was put through from Srinagar to Gumri
on this side of the Zojila pass for light vehicles only.
Work on snow clearance operation was gong on from both sides of
the Zojila pass.
There was fresh snowfall early last week on Srinagar-Leh national
highway, particularly at Zojila pass and Zero point, hampering the
snow clearance operation launched by BEACON authorities. Snow
clearance operation was going on from both sides of the Zojila pass,
officials said adding but fresh snowfall besides threat of avalanche
could delay the early reopening of highway, which was closed in
December last year.
The authorities have allowed light vehicle traffic from Srinagar to
Gumri only on the highway, which remained closed for the past four
months
Similarly there was also fresh snowfall on historic Mughal raod
badly affecting snow clearance operation. The road, which is seen as
alternative to Srinagar-Jammu highway, was to reopen on April 15 after
remaining closed for the past four months.
Dozens of far flung and remote areas, including those near the Line
of Control (LoC) remained cut off from their respective district
headquarter for the past four months due to accumulation of snow.
There was fresh snowfall recently at Razdan pass, connecting border
town of Gurez, surrounded by Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), with
Bandipora.