After remaining closed for about 65 hours, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was reopened for traffic on Saturday at 11 AM, with authorities saying that the stranded vehicles were being cleared.
The road had been closed at about 6 PM on Wednesday, sourcessaid.
“The road was reopened today after remaining closed forthree consecutive days,” Inspector General of Police, Traffic, Alok Kumar, toldGreater Kashmir.
He said that at different places along the highway about7,000 vehicles were stranded. “We are clearing the stranded vehicles; the freshtraffic has not been allowed to ply so far.”
Kumar said that about traffic on Sunday— otherwise convoyday— the decision will be taken later. “Probably the traffic will ply fromJammu to Srinagar,” he said.
The highway was closed Wednesday following massivelandslides at Digdol along the 300-km-long road—the only surface link ofKashmir with rest of the world.
Officials of the traffic department said the traffic on theroad was affected several times on Saturday due shooting stones.
They said over 3,000 vehicles including trucks carryingessential commodities and oil tankers, besides passengers, were stranded aroundDigdol, where massive landslide had hit the road. “Most of them have beencleared,” they said.
Traffic officials said that although the road was clearedfor traffic late Friday evening, but after fresh landslides near Digdole inRamban it was again closed for traffic. “The landslides continued on Saturdayas well hampering the clearance process.”
Officials said men and machinery from National HighwayAuthority of India (NHAI) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible forthe maintenance of the highway cleared the landslides, allowing the strandedvehicles to move.
Traffic officials said the Mughal Road and the Srinagar-Lehhighway were also open for traffic. “At some places smaller landslides blockedthe Mughal Road, but they were later cleared,” they said, adding that on theMughal Road the traffic plied from Srinagar to Rajouri.
RAINS FOR NEXT 24 HOURS
Meanwhile, intermittent light rains lashed many parts ofKashmir during last night even as Meteorological department predicted moreprecipitation during next 24 hours.
Most parts of Kashmir, including summer capital Srinagar,received intermittent rains during last night, an official of the localmeteorological office here said.
Officials said that there are likely chances of light tomoderate rains at most places in Kashmir during next 24 hours.