Landslides shut Srinagar-Jammu highway yet again

Srinagar/Aug,25 : The 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, has been closed yet again on Tuesday due to fresh landslides and shooting.However, the 434-km-long highway, linking Ladakh with Kashmir and historic 86-km-long Mughal road are through for one-way traffic.
A traffic police official said on Tuesday that Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed again on Tuesday following landslides and shooting stone at Dalwas Ramban, where a portion of road has also been washed away.
He said Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have already pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to remove the landslides and put through the highway. It will take several hours to make the road traffic worthy, he said.
However, he said, only stranded vehicles would be allowed to move towards their respective destinations before allowing fresh traffic on the highway.
Passenger traffic remained suspended on the highway since March 5 due to COVID-19. Passengers having valid travel permit issued by Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir were being allowed to move.
However, thousands of outside workers are also brought to Kashmir valley in the recent months. Vehicles carrying essential commodities and empty trucks an oil tankers were to ply from Srinagar to Jammu.
This is the second time the highway was closed for any traffic movement due to landslides and shooting stones during the past about one week. Earlier, traffic was resumed on the highway August 22 after remaining suspended for two days.
Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, was also through for one-way traffic. Only trucks and other load carriers loaded with fresh fruit will ply from Shopian to other side of the Pir Ki Gali, traffic official said adding no passenger traffic is allowed on the road, being considered alternative to Srinagar-jammu highwa