Anantnag, July 7: In view of the inclement weather, the Kokernag-Kishtwar and Mughal Road were closed for traffic on Friday.
An official said that the Kokernag-Kishtwar Road had been closed for traffic due to inclement weather.
“As the area witnessed heavy rainfall, so, as a precautionary measure, the road was closed for traffic ahead of Daksum,” Sub District Magistrate (SDM) Kokernag Suhail Ahmad told Greater Kashmir.
He said that the road would be opened as soon as the weather conditions improve.
The stretch from Daksum to Sinthan Top on Kashmir side and across from Chenab Valley is prone to landslides.
This road that provides an alternate link to Kashmir with the outside world remains open for traffic during summer months only as heavy snowfall at several places including Sinthan Pass, situated at 12,500 feet, shuts it during winters.
The government has already approved a tunnel, which would start at Ahlan in Vailoo area of Kokernag in Anantnag and bypass a treacherous stretch of the road and also shorten the distance between two districts.
Meanwhile, the Mughal Road, connecting Kashmir’s Shopian district with the twin districts of Pir Panchal – Rajouri and Poonch - was also closed due to landslides triggered by rains.
“The landslides occurred at Ratta Chamb in the mountainous district of Poonch leading to the blockade of the road,” an official said.
He said men and machinery were immediately pressed into service to clear the road.
The road also remains closed during the winter due to heavy snowfall as the proposed tunnel is yet to be approved.
