Kashmir highway reopens after closure due to snowfall in morning

Srinagar, Feb 3 (UNI) Traffic on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway was restored on both sides today after it remained suspended for several hours due to landslides and snowfall.

A traffic police official said, passenger vehicles from Jammu and Srinagar were allowed after receiving green signal from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and traffic officials posted at different places on the highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.

However, trucks and other heavy vehicles were allowed from Srinagar to Jammu only. No heavy vehicle was allowed from Jammu to Srinagar as a precautionary measure to avoid traffic jams, he added.

The highway was closed for traffic movement this morning following landslides triggered by rains at Penthal.

Shooting stones and landslides at Penthal, the most troubled spot on the highway, occured due to rains in the entire belt since morning.

There was also fresh snowfall between Jawahar tunnel and Banihal since last evening. However, the BRO pressed into service hundreds of workers and sophisticated machines, and cleared the landslides and accumulated snow.

Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers, were stranded on the highway. The vehicles which had left Jammu this morning were stopped at Udhampur and other places.

Similarly, vehicles which left Srinagar for Jammu, were stranded on this side of the tunnel.

The vehicles were allowed to proceed towards their respective destinations this afternoon.

UNI BAS SHB HT1452