The 270 kilometer Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was disrupted Monday due to landslides and shooting stones leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded for the whole day. The stranded vehicles included buses ferrying hundreds of passengers to the Valley after completion of their 14-day quarantine period at Lakhanpur, officials said. The vehicles carrying travellers from outside states by the authorities were also stranded on the highway, officials said.
Senior Traffic police officials said more than 700 truckscarrying essential commodities to the Valley remained stranded till lateevening as the shooting stones at Cafeteria Morh were causing difficulties insmooth movement of traffic.
Speaking with Greater Kashmir, Deputy SuperintendentPolice, Traffic (Highway), Ajay Anand said: “Fresh landslides that occurredtoday have been cleared but incidents of shooting stones since today morningblocked the highway again. Afternoon rainfall has compounded the problems,”Anand said.
Anand who is stationed atRamban said some trucks stranded since Sunday were being allowed to move duringthe night time but road was again closed for traffic on Monday morning. “Assoon we start clearing the traffic, shooting stones caused the trouble again.Stranded trucks and buses will be allowed to move as soon road reopens but itall depends on when shooting stones stop,” said Anand.
The frequent closure of the highway has choked supplies tothe Valley at a time when people are reeling under hardships due to Covid19lockdown.
Traffic advisory:
A traffic advisory issued by the Traffic Police departmentsaid that subject to fair weather and road conditions only vehicles carryingessentials would be allowed to move on the highway on Tuesday.
The advisory said trucks carrying essential goods will alsobe allowed to move on Srinagar-Leh highway depending on the conditions of theroad.
It said the Mughal Road connecting Shopian to Pir Panchalremains closed due to accumulation of snow.
Weather
The Meteorological Department has said that a spell of lightto moderate rain with thunderstorm is most likely to occur at most places inJammu and Kashmir and at scattered places in Ladakh during next three days tillThursday.
Deputy Director MeT, Mukhtar Ahmad said the peak activity ofthe wet spell will be between May 13-14 “during which an approaching westerndisturbance is likely over Jammu and Kashmir.”
Mukhtar said while there would be intermittent spells of rainfall,there was no forecast for “any continuous heavy rainfall during next 7-10days.”