Srinagar-Jammu highway closed for maintenance today

The 270-kilometer Srinagar-Jammu National Highway will remain closed for traffic on Monday as authorities have decided to carry out day-long maintenance works on this arterial road.

A senior Traffic Policeofficial told Greater Kashmir that vehicles will not be allowed to move on thehighway from either side during the entire day.

   

“The recent landslides have damaged the road which needsmaintenance on a large stretch,” said the official. Meanwhile, massive trafficjams were witnessed on the highway on Sunday.

Superintendent of Police, Traffic (Rural) Muzaffar Ahmad Shahtold Greater Kashmir that the traffic jam was caused after an apple-laden truckmet with an accident near Banihal. “The entire truckload of apple had to beunloaded which took some time. The traffic was finally restored at 3 pm,” saidShah. 

Travelers said they were stuck in the traffic jam for hourscausing huge inconvenience to them in the December cold.

Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Srinagar who wastravelling to Jammu on Sunday, said he was stuck in the traffic jam for theentire day.

“I left my home in Srinagar at 7 am and have just managed tocross the Banihal Tunnel at 6 PM. I am travelling with my three children whosuffered badly due to this traffic mess,” Bhat told Greater Kashmir.

Inclement weather has forced the closure of the highway for13 days in the last month, causing huge inconvenience to travelers andaffecting supplies to the Valley. Multiple landslides have been causing closureof the highway, which has also resulted in increased airfares from Srinagar tovarious destinations.

The Srinagar-Leh National Highway and Mughal Road remainedclosed for traffic.

A traffic department official said efforts were on torestore the 434-km Srinagar-Leh National highway — the strategic road linkingLadakh with Kashmir — and Mughal road which connects the border districts ofPoonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

While the Srinagar-Leh Highway was closed for traffic on 27November following heavy snowfall in Zojilla pass and adjoining areas, theMughal road was closed on 6 November after high altitude areas including Pir KiGali along the road experienced heavy snowfall.

“The Mughal road was cleared of the accumulated snow afterseveral weeks of hectic efforts on 26 November but a fresh spell of snowfallhampered the efforts of its early reopening,” the official said, adding men andmachines are on the job to clear the road of the snow.

Both the roads usually remain closed for winter months owingto heavy snowfall.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

4 × four =