Rajouri: Amid season’s first heavy rainfall and snowfall in the upper reaches, the Mughal Road connecting Kashmir valley’s Shopian district with Jammu’s Poonch got closed for traffic while 12 stranded persons were rescued from Pir Ki Gali.
The Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch national highway connecting the Rajouri district headquarter with Jammu also remained closed for traffic for several hours after a truck got stuck in a pit.
Deputy SP Traffic Rajouri-Poonch Range, Aftab Shah said the higher reaches of Rajouri and Poonch witnessed snowfall as did Pir Ki Gali on Mughal Road, leading to closure of the road.
“The road is closed for traffic from Poshana upwards and there is accumulation of snow,” he said.
Twelve persons stuck near Pir Ki Gali were rescued by authorities.
“Twelve people who include shopkeepers and workers of the shrine at Pir Ki Gali got stuck due to snowfall,” Shah said.
He said that all these men were rescued during a rescue operation launched by Police, Army, Traffic Police and Mughal Road Project Authority.
“They all were brought in Poshana Army camp and later sent to their homes.” Shah said.
Meanwhile, Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch national highway (NH 144-A) remained closed for vehicular traffic for around three hours after a truck got stuck in a pit at Bagnoti near Nowshera.
Officials said that a truck loaded with heavy hardware material got stuck in a pit leading to the closure of the highway.
They said that the machinery was put into action soon after the closure of the highway and a side pathway was constructed for light motor vehicles within three hours of the closure while the road link for heavy motor vehicles remained closed till late hours.