One-way traffic on Kashmir highway despite major improvement in weather

Srinagar, Apr 16: Despite major improvement in the weather conditions, only one-way traffic will continue on 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which connects Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
Meanwhile, Ladakh region remained cut off from the rest of the country though massive snow clearance operation has already been started on the highway, connecting the region with Kashmir.
The historic Mughal road and several other road communications leading to far-flung and remote areas, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), also remained closed due to accumulation of snow since January.
Though the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) are working to repair the damaged portion of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, only one-way traffic is allowed for the past three months.
“We have allowed traffic from Srinagar to Jammu today and no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction since only one-way traffic will ply till further orders on the highway,” a traffic police official told UNI.
He said no vehicle, including Army and other paramilitary forces, will be allowed from opposite direction to avoid any traffic jam as the highway is still under repair at some places where only one vehicle can pass.
Meanwhile, the BEACON authorities are working on a war-footing on both sides of the Zojila pass to clear snow and put through the highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir.
Similarly, snow clearance is also going on to reopen the historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, which remained closed for the past three months due to snow. Even though authorities had asserted that the highway will be opened on April 15, several feet of snow remain accumulated at some places on the road, which is seen as an alternative to the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
Dozens of village, including near the LoC in Machil sector, remained cut off from district headquarters due to accumulation of several feet of snow.