Efforts have been stepped up to restore the Srinagar-Jammu highway, which is closed for last three days even as the Meteorological department has predicted dry weather during next 24 hours.
“We have stepped up the efforts for the restoration of traffic on the highway,” inspector general of police, traffic, J&K, Alok Kumar told Greater Kashmir.
He said fresh landslides occurred overnight at several places including Anokhi fall, Digdole and Panthiyal. “The road clearance operation is going on but the intermittent shooting (of the stones/landslides) is hampering the work,” Kumar said, adding that they wanted first to clear the stranded vehicles.
He said the landslides at various places including Nachlana, Gangroo, Seri and Battery Cheshma were also cleared. “The clearance operation at other places is underway,” he added.
The IG traffic said the snow clearance operation at Jawahar Tunnel, was completed late Friday evening, following which over 100 stranded Kashmir-bound oil tankers were allowed to proceed towards their destination.
The 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir to the rest of the country, was closed for traffic on Thursday following heavy snowfall and rains which triggered multiple landslides. The road was blocked at various places between the Banihal-Ramban stretch leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded.
Official sources said that 1500 trucks carrying essential commodities and 1500 other vehicles were stranded at various places on the road. The closure of the Jammu-Srinagar highway has led to shortages of essential commodities in Kashmir valley.
Meanwhile, the IGP traffic said that they were trying to clear the stranded traffic, but slippery road conditions did not allow.
He said in case of good weather and good road condition, the traffic will ply from Jammu to Srinagar tomorrow.