Srinagar-Jammu national highway closed

Srinagar, Apr 15: The 300-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road link between Kashmir valley and the rest of the country, was closed for vehicular traffic today due to landslides and shooting stones.

According to the traffic police control room, the national highway 1A was closed this morning following landslides and shooting stones at Panthal, about 155 km from here.

The landslides were triggered due to blasting carried out by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel to repair the damaged part of the national highway at Panthal.

The strip damaged due to incessant rains had resulted in frequent closure of the road since November last year. A major portion of the highway had been washed away due to landslides.

On one occasion, the national highway, was closed for about ten days, while it remained shut for about 15 days for the second time in March this year.

Hundreds of vehicles, including passenger buses, which were allowed to move to Srinagar from Jammu, have been stranded at various places on the highway.

The BRO has pressed into service extra manpower and sophisticated machines to clear the landslides and make the road traffic worthy.

The traffic control room said the highway was likely to reopen this evening after carrying out the necessary repairs.

UNI