One-way traffic continues on Kashmir highway; Mughal road, Leh NH remain shut

Srinagar: Hundreds of vehicles left Jammu for Kashmir early in the morning as only one-way traffic continued to ply on the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the road connecting the valley with the rest of the country.
However, Srinagar-Leh national highway, the only road connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir, and historic 86-km-long Mughal road remained shut for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday following accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.
“Hundreds of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) were allowed to ply from Jammu to Srinagar on Kashmir highway with some time restriction,” a traffic police official told UNI.
He said the LMVs will have to pass Nagrota in Jammu between 0500 hrs and 1100 hrs. “The vehicles will also have the pass Jakheni in Udhampur between 0600 hrs and 1200 hrs,” he said, adding no vehicle will be allowed after cutoff timing.
He said Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed from Jakheni towards Srinagar after the tail of down HMVs crosses Udhampur. “Security forces are advised not to ply against traffic plan in view of congestion on the highway,” he added.
One-way traffic was resumed on Saturday afternoon on the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway after remaining suspended since Friday due to slippery road conditions following fresh snowfall.
He said that traffic on Srinagar-Leh national highway remained suspended since Tuesday morning following accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions. There was fresh snowfall since Friday night.
“Few inches of snow had accumulated at Meenmarg, Zero point and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia. However, there was about eight feet of fresh snowfall at Zojila,” he said.
He said following improvement in the weather, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has put into service sophisticated machines to clear the snow on the highway. However, traffic will be resumed only after receiving green signal, he said, adding night traffic movement from 1800 hrs to 0900 hrs next morning will remain suspended on the highway between Gagangir and Sonamarg.
This year the government has decided to keep the highway open till December end provided. The highway remains closed during winter months due to accumulation of 10 to 15 feet of snow on the highway.
The historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, also remained closed for any traffic movement for the sixth day on Sunday due to accumulation of snow, traffic official said.
Traffic on the road was resumed recently after remaining closed for over a week due to snowfall last week. The road, also seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu highway, remains closed for six winter months due to snow and avalanches.