Traffic restored on Kashmir highway after remaining suspended for few hours

Srinagar: Traffic has been restored on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, after remaining suspended for few hours in the morning due to fresh landslides.
“Two-way light vehicular movement has been allowed from both the side of the highway in the afternoon after remaining suspended for about three hours due to fresh landslides on the national highway,” a traffic police official said.
However, he said heavy vehicles have been allowed to move only from Jammu to Srinagar on the highway.
He said the highway was through for both way light vehicle traffic since early this morning. However, there were fresh landslides, particularly in Penthal area of the highway forcing closure of the road at 0900 hrs, he added.
But, he said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, put into service sophisticated machines and men and made the highway operational for two way traffic.
Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying Amarnath pilgrims, who were stranded following closure of the national highway for about three hours due landslides at Penthal and other places, have been allowed to move to their respective destinations.
He said two-way heavy vehicle traffic on the highway will be allowed only after getting a green signal from the concerned authorities.
Traffic on the highway has been suspended frequently due to landslides and shooting stones this year.
Meanwhile, the national highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir and historic Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region are through.