Kashmir remains cut off for the second day

Srinagar, Dec 27: About three thousand vehicles, including those carrying passengers, are stranded on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which has been closed since yesterday due to landslides and snowfall.

Official sources said the highway remain closed for second day today due to fresh landslides at Penthal, about 130 km from here.

They said the Border Road Organisation, responsible for the maintenance of the highway have pressed into service machines and men to clear the road.

A traffic police official said that no vehicle will be allowed from Srinagar or Jammu in the day.

They said in case the road is opened the stranded vehicles would be allowed to leave towards their respective destinations.

This is the fourth time the highway was closed during December.

However, frequent closure of the highway forced authorities to allow only one-way traffic.

The closure of the only road link resulted in increase in the prices of essential commodities and shortage of LPG and other items.

UNI