Leh highway reopens; Kashmir, Mughal roads through despite rain

Srinagar/June,6: Traffic on the national highway, connecting the Ladakh region with Kashmir, was resumed in the afternoon after remaining suspended since early this morning due to landslides, triggered by overnight rains.
However, the Srinagar-Jammu and historic Mughal roads were through despite rain.
Traffic on the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway was suspended due to landslides, triggered by heavy overnight rains at Zojila, a traffic police official told UNI this morning.
Traffic on the highway was disrupted between Sonmarg-Zojila-Meenmarg only, he said, adding vehicles were plying between Srinagar to Sonmarg and Drass-Kargil to Leh normally.
Official said the BEACON, responsible for the maintainance of the highway have already put into service sophisticated machines and men to put through the highway.
Traffic on the highway was resumed this afternoon after the landslides were removed.
Vehicles from Drass were allowed to move towards Kashmir, he said adding later vehicles will ply from here to other side of the Zojila, where only one way traffic is allowed.
The highway was put through only on May 10 after remaining closed for six winter months due to eight to ten feet of snowfall during winter.
The official said that national highway, linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, was through for traffic despite rain. However, heavy vehicles will continue to ply from one-way, he said.
Light vehicles will ply from both sides on the Kashmir highway while heavy vehicle will ply from Srinagar to Jammu only, he said adding no heavy vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction.
Meanwhile, only one-way traffic will continue to ply on historic 86-km-long Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region.
Official said today traffic will ply from Rajouri-Poonch to Shopian on the road, which is been seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway.