Kashmir remains cut-off for the 6th day on Feb 26

Srinagar, Feb 26: The 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highwayremained closed for the 6th consecutive day today due to landslides atPenthal.

About 5,000 passengers besides hundreds of trucks are stranded onthe highway at different places, including Jammu since the highway wasclosed on February 21.

A traffic police official told UNI light passengers were allowedto cross Penthal, the most troubled spot, yesterday in the afternoonafter damaged portion of the road was partially repaired. Traffic wasagain stopped when landslides occurred again.

He said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) responsible for themaintenance of the highway have pressed into service hundreds ofworkers and machine to undertake the repair work on a war footing.

Continued landslides in the area were badly affecting the repair work.

A passenger stranded near Penthal for the past five days said theBRO officials were carrying out blasts in the area and huge mud andlandslides were coming down from the hilltop.

Keeping in view the intensity of the damage to 30 meters of roadnear Penthal, the authorities had officially announced to close thehighway, the only road linking the valley with the rest of the country,till today to allow the BRO to undertake the repair work.

About 50 vehicles of the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC)were sent to Banihal to bring the passengers here who would reach thereafter crossing the five km hilly terrain on foot.

Official sources said only the young undertake the journey on footwhile women, aged and children are still stranded at Ramban and Penthalwith no government help.

Truck drivers alleged one kg of milk is being sold at Rs 20 whileprices of all essential commodities has also increased many fold on thehighway.

They said only few truckers were lucky to get the governmentcontrolled rice, sugar and kerosene oil while a majority had to buy inthe black-market.

The prices of almost all-essential commodities, including localproducts, have gone up several fold without any check. Chicken, meat,eggs and milk shops are closed.

However, there was no shortage of gas and kerosene oil in the valley.

UNI