Srinagar-Leh road opens for one way traffic after four days

SRINAGAR : Traffic was on Wednesday resumed on the highway which connects Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir valley after remaining suspended for four days due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions.

Meanwhile, the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway and 86-km-long historic Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region are through for traffic on Wednesday, a traffic police official said.

He said traffic on 270-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway was suspended on Saturday after snowfall at Sonamarg, Zojila pass, Meenmarg and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia. However, the road was put through upto Sonmarg on Sunday after snow was cleared by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) by putting into service sophisticated machine and men.

Snow clearance operation continued despite sub zero temperature and finally road was put through after major improvement in weather, he said adding on Wednesday vehicles, including empty trucks and oil tankers, which were stopped due to snowfall, were allowed to leave for Kashmir from Meenamarg, Drass and Kargil in Ladakh region today. No vehicle will be allowed from this side of the Zojila pass. He said the authorities have decided to keep the road open till December end to allow storage of essentials in different parts of Ladakh region, which remained closed during winter due to heavy snowfall.

He said Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) carrying passengers were allowed from Jammu to Srinagar on Wednesday. However, the vehicles had to cross Nagrota Jammu between 0500 hrs to 1100 hrs and at Jakheni Udhampur between 0600 hrs to 1200 hrs, he said, adding that no vehicle will be allowed after the deadline. The commuters are advised to follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the government to prevent spread of COVID-19, he said.

He said Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) shall be allowed from Zig Qazigund towards Jammu after tail of Kashmir bound vehicles will cross Jawahar tunnel. However, Traffic Control Unit (TCU) Ramban will coordinate for release of empty oil tankers and vehicles loaded with perishable items in the opposite convey. Security force convoy are advised to ply from Srinagar to Jammu , he said.

About the historic Mughal road, which is considered alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway, he said vehicles carrying fresh fruit will be allowed to ply from Herpora Shopian between 1100 hrs to 1600 hrs to other side of the Pir Ki Gali. No passenger vehicle or pedestrian will be allowed on the road, he added

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)