At a time when government is yet to officially open the Mughal Road, drivers are risking their lives and property while travelling on its snow covered road.
Although the snow clearance operation on Mughal Road was completed in the first week of April, but there was a fresh snowfall on Pir Ki Gali mountainous pass and areas between Poshana and Heerpora, which made it dangerous for any kind of travel.
Authorities are yet to officially open the road for vehicular traffic and have already stated that any decision for road opening shall be taken after a joint inspection by road inspection team headed by transport department.
However, despite the ban, dozens of vehicles are reportedly plying over Mughal Road daily in clear violation of SOPs. Drivers are risking their lives while driving their vehicles over snow clad mountainous road.
Drivers of number of vehicles also shared videos of their travel over snow covered road. Furthermore visitors are sharing their photographs at Pir Ki Gali mountainous pass which however is still not officially open for general public.
When contacted Deputy SP Traffic RajouriPoonch, Aftab Shah, said that traffic police have placed a special naka at Behram Gala which is headed by DTI ranked officer and no traffic is being allowed towards Pir Ki Gali.
“There is a video viral on social media wherein vehicles can be seen plying on road and this video is of stretch between Shopian and Pir Ki Gali,” DySP said.
Mughal Road connects Bufliyaz area of Poonch district with Shopian via Pir Ki Gali mountainous pass and remains close for five to six months in winters due to accumulation of snow.
The Mechanical Engineering Department of Jammu and Kashmir Government launched a snow clearance operation on road that started in second week of March and ended in first week of April.