Kashmir Highway remains closed for 4th day, thousands stranded

Srinagar, Feb 7 (UNI) About one thousand vehicles, including those carrying passengers, were stranded on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway which remained closed for the fourth consecutive day today due to more than seven feet snow and landslides, triggered by heavy rains.

Fresh heavy snowfall today hampered the snow clearance operation, a senior traffic police officer told UNI over phone from Jawahar tunnel where more than eight feet of snow had accumulated.

He said it was snowing heavily in the entire area making the task of early reopening of the highway almost impossible.

About seven feet to eight feet of snow had accumulated on the highway between the tunnel and Banihal. It was three and half a feet at Qazigund, four feet at Patnitop and two feet at Kud, he said.

He said it will take about seven to ten hours to clear the snow on the highway once snowfall stops.

The officer said about 600 vehicles, carrying essential commodities for Srinagar, were stranded on the highway at different places on other side of the tunnel.

He said about one hundred Srinagar-bound passenger vehicles were also stranded on the highway.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), XXX please pick up from Para fourth of DR 13 '' Weather-Kashmir Highway'' UNI BAS KD RN1615