Srinagar, Feb 12: One way traffic on the 300-kilometre Srinagar-Jammu highway was Tuesday restored after six days of continuous closure due to landslides caused by inclement weather Kashmir has been facing in the last few weeks.
IGP Traffic Alok Kumar told The Kashmir Monitor said that some of the stranded light-motor vehicles (LMVs) and fuel tankers were allowed to move towards Kashmir after the authorities cleared the debris of landslides at key points on the strategic road.
“At around 3:30 pm, traffic was restored and the stranded vehicles including around 450 oil tankers and 250-300 LMVs were allowed to move towards Kashmir,” he said.
He, however, added that since the MeT department had forecast more snow and rains, the decision on allowing traffic on the highway on Wednesday would only be taken after reviewing the condition of the road.
“Snowfall has already started near Jawahar tunnel. We advise the commuters to contact us before setting off on their journeys,” he said.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu Sanjeev Kumar said that about 600 stranded vehicles had crossed the tunnel.
An official said the road was made motorable for one-way traffic at the affected places.
He said the traffic was allowed to move despite shooting stones sliding down the mountains at Maroog and Pantiyal.
“Till an announcement is made that the road is safe for travel, intending travellers are advised not to start the journey without contacting our control rooms in Jammu and Srinagar,” a traffic official said.
Senior state highway officials were at Marog in Ramban district to personally supervise the clearance operation and ensure that stranded passengers were provided shelter and food. It has started raining in some areas along the road even as most parts of the valley received moderate rainfall on Tuesday adding further to the woes of the passengers stuck on the highway.
The road, only surface link between Kashmir and the Indian plains, remained closed for the past six days due to snowfall and landslides.
An acute shortage of essentials of life has hit the landlocked valley ever since the strategic 300 kilometre long road shut down on February six, following a series of avalanches and landslides.
All supplies of essential goods are routed into the valley through this highway.
