Srinagar: Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained closed on Monday for traffic movement in view of the damage to a bridge near Kela Morh in Ramban district of Jammu division even as authorities stated that the crucial-surface link connecting Kashmir with rest of the world, will remain shut for the next five days.
ADGP Traffic T. Namgyal said that a bridge at Kela Morh in Ramban was damaged and it will take at least five days to restore the highway for traffic movement.
“There was no traffic movement on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway today in view of the damage caused to the bridge at Kela Morh in Ramban,” said a traffic control room official.
In a fresh communiqué by Traffic Police headquarters J&K which reads; “Jammu-Srinagar NHW is closed due to sudden damage of bridge at Kela Morh, Ramban. It will take at least 05 days to repair the damaged bridge as stated by NHAI. However, Jammu-Doda-Kishtwar, Jammu-Ramban, Magerkot-Banihal and Banihal-Qazigund stretches are through for traffic.”
Meanwhile, Mughal road continues to remain closed due to snow accumulation, however, flight operations remained smooth today at the Srinagar Airport.
Santosh Dhoke, Director Srinagar Airport said that the flight operations at Srinagar Airport were smooth and no flight was cancelled today. “There were total 28 flight movements,” he said.
Accidents on the 270-kilometer (160-mile)-long highway cause hundreds of deaths every year, often surpassing those caused by the armed conflict in the region.
In 2019, for instance, violence in the Kashmir valley killed 366 people, whereas accidents on the highway claimed at least 447 lives.
Experts also believe the Kashmir valley’s absolute dependence on the route has led to the region’s geographic isolation. The road is often closed due to bad weather conditions and in winter, the problem is aggravated by severe snowfall.
Discover more from The Kashmir Monitor
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
