Srinagar-Leh highway closed for second day

Srinagar, Nov 13: The entire Ladakh region remained cut off from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir via land route for the second consecutive day today due to heavy snowfall at various places along the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway since last evening.

The road would be officially closed for vehicular traffic for six winter months from November 15.

About 8-10 inches snow has been recorded at Zojilla Pass and other places along highway since yesterday morning. Heavy snow triggered landslides at many places along the highway forcing its closure at the India Gate near the Zojilla Pass.

About 50 vehicles were stranded between India Gate and Baltal along the highway. However, the light motor vehicles, including passenger taxis, were turned back to Srinagar from Sonamarg.

The Project Beacon of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had pressed men and machinery into service to clear the highway.

''If the weather conditions improve and there is no further snowfall, the highway would be thrown open for vehicular traffic later in the day or tomorrow morning,'' a BRO official said.

UNI