Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 20: The national highway, connecting Ladakh region with the Kashmir valley, was closed today following overnight snowfall at several places, a traffic police official said.
Snowfall was being recorded at Zojilla and other areas on the highway since last night, forcing authorities to suspend traffic on the road.
He said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenanance of the highway, has pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to put through the road, which is being used these days to transport essentials to different parts of the Ladakh region which remains cut off during winter months.
However, large quantity of essentials, including rice, atta, sugar, diesel, petrol, LPG, construction material have already been stored in the region for winter months.
Official sources said hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the Zojila pass after the road was closed today.
They said only stranded vehicles will be allowed to move towards their respective destinations when the highway will reopen, they said.
Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded for the second day today on the historic Mughal road which was closed for traffic following snowfall and slippery conditions.
A traffic police official told that Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region remained closed for the second day today. Traffic on the road was suspended yesterday following fresh snowfall at Pir-ki-Gali, Bafliaz and other places. At some places, there was more than one and half a feet of snowfall besides landslides.
However, the local administration has pressed into service sophisticated machines and men to put through the road, being seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway. Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers, are stranded at several places on the road.
However, authorities swung into action and rescued to safer place about one hundred vehicles, who got struck in the snowbound area. Drivers and conductors of large number of vehicles were also rescued to safer places. Traffic will be resumed on the historic road only after receiving green signal from officials concerned. However, stranded vehicles will be allowed to move towards their respective destinations before allowing fresh traffic, he said. |
