
Jammu- The Jammu-Srinagar national highway will remain closed on April 7 for carrying out repairs in landslide-hit areas of Ramban district, officials said Tuesday.
The 270-km-long highway, which is the only all-weather road link between Kashmir and the rest of the country, was blocked several times due to landslides and shooting stones in the past few months and was in need of repairs.
“Based on the direction passed for undertaking important repairs and maintenance works on the highway, April 7 has been declared as a traffic dry day between Nashri to Navyuga tunnel”, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ramban, Mohita Sharma said.
She said only emergency vehicles will be allowed to ply on the highway to and fro in Ramban section from 6 AM on April 7 to 6 AM on April 8.
Mughal Road Still Closed
Meanwhile people from Poonch-Rajouri and Shopian are demanding re-opening of the historic Mughal road for vehicular traffic
The road connecting Kashmir via Shopian with Pir Panchal region in Jammu remains shut in winters because of snow.
Closure of the road has badly hit businesses and other activities of residents of Shopian, Hirpora, Dubjan, Pir-Ki-Gali and Buffliaz, Thanamadi and other villages. Many people from Shopian are married in Poonch or Rajouri and vice-versa.
But the closure of the road is affecting people traveling to their relatives on both sides.
Besides, it has also affected students from Kashmir studying at Baba Gulam Shah University in Rajouri.
Despite getting national highway status in 2016, the proposed tunnel to make the road all-weather is nowhere in sight.
An official said that the decision about reopening the road will be taken shortly
He said that snow clearance work was completed, however, fresh snowfall has accumulated on road at some spots.
Allowing traffic in these circumstances is risky and can prove fatal, he said adding that it is likely road will be thrown open for traffic by April 15
Avalanche Blocks Leh Highway
Srinagar-Leh highway was on Tuesday closed for traffic after an avalanche hit near Zojila Pass in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
Quoting an official, news agency KNO reported that avalanches hit near Panimatha and Kai-Pathri on Zojila Pass following fresh snowfall in the area.
He said that men and machinery have been pressed into service to clear the road
“Due to snowfall and avalanches at various places on Zojila axis, upward traffic was not allowed today,” he said.
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