Hundreds of people had to spend the night in sub-zero temperature on the historic Mughal Road on Wednesday after the road was abruptly closed for vehicular movement following fresh snowfall and hailstorm.
Reports said that the vehicles were left stranded near PirKi Gali due to a landslide which was cleared in the late night hours.
“Around thirty to forty vehicles remain stranded on the roadbetween Chatta Pani and Pir Ki Gali last night,” said Deputy SP Traffic RajouriPoonch Mohammad Rafiq.
He said that all the stranded vehicles have been clearedfrom the road in the wee hours today morning.
“The problem initially erupted due to fresh rainfall,snowfall and hailstorm which led to a slide on the road and later frozen andslippery conditions worsened the problem,” SP Rafiq said.
Tazeem Dar, a resident of Rajouri, said that hundreds ofpassengers had to spend the night in zero temperature and without any basicamenities.
“Authorities either should close the road or should put inplace a proper policy to ensure that passengers face no hardship,” he said.
The historic Mughal Road was opened for traffic on Wednesdaymorning after five months of closure during winter season.