JK: Highway remains closed, thousands stranded

Srinagar, Mar 17: Kashmir remained cut off from the rest of the country for the seventh consecutive day today following the closure of the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway due to landslides and shooting stones, leading to an acute shortage of essential commodities in the Valley.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, has pressed into service hundreds of workers and machines to clear the landslides at Penthal.

Official sources said it will take another two to three days to repair the damaged portion of the road near Penthal, the most troubled spot on the highway.

Now the weather is clear and BRO personnel are working round the clock to make the highway traffic worthy as soon as possible.

However, it may take few days more to get the damaged portion repaired, they said.

However, a number of buses of State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) with passengers, stranded at Jammu since March 10, were allowed to leave for Penthal.

Official sources said these passengers will cross Penthal on foot to board vehicles on the other side for Srinagar.

This was the only alternative available to help the stranded passengers to reach Srinagar, a senior traffic police officer said, adding similarly those who had come from Srinagar had to cross Penthal on foot and board buses for Jammu.

About about six thousand passengers are stranded at Jammu, the sources added.

About a thousand vehicles, including trucks loaded with essential commodities are stranded on the highway after it was closed for traffic due to landslides triggered by heavy rains.

The closure of the life line to the Valley has resulted in shortage of almost all the essential commodities, including vegetables, meat, milk, fruit, chicken and other items being imported from different parts of Jammu and other states, in Kashmir.

The prices of local vegetables have also increased manifold with no checking from the divisional administration.

UNI