Kashmir Highway reopens for one-way, stranded vehicles cleared

Srinagar, Feb 10 (UNI) One-way traffic was today resumed on the 300-km long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway which remained closed for six days due to seven foot snowfall and landslides triggered by rains.

''Today we have allowed traffic from Jammu to Srinagar on the highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the world,'' a traffic police official told UNI here.

He said no vehicle was allowed from here to Jammu.

Altogether one hundred vehicles, including those carrying essential commodities and passengers, stranded on the highway for the past six days, arrived here late last night and early this morning.

The stranded vehicles were allowed to move towards Srinagar last evening after the Border Roads Organisations (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway cleared snow and landslides from the road.

The drivers had been advised to drive safely because of slippery road conditions in the morning in Patnitop, Jawahar tunnel, Shatan Nullah and Banihal because of below freezing temperature during the night.

The Indian Airforce airlifted hundreds of stranded passengers from Srinagar and Jammu. The passengers were charged Rs 200 per head by the authorities for airlift.

UNI BAS SBC GC1328