Srinagar, Dec 25: The National Highway– the only road linking Ladakh region with Kashmir– and historic 86-km-long Mughal road remained closed on Tuesday due to accumulation of snow which has now frozen due to sub zero temperature even during the day also.
However, due to less snowfall this year, the roads leading to dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir are so far open which otherwise remained closed during most part of winter.
Meanwhile, only one-way traffic will continue to ply with some restrictions on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only all weather road linking Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
The Ladakh region remained cut off from the Kashmir valley due to suspension of the traffic as the road remained slippery due to frozen snow, particularly at Zojila pass, Meenmarg and Zero point, official sources told media.
The snow remained frozen even during the day due to which there is almost no chance of allowing traffic on the road from Sonamarg in central Kashmir to Drass, the worlds second coldest place in Kargil district of Ladakh region. However, traffic was plying from Drass-Kargil to Leh due to less snowfall.
Due to no chance of resumption of traffic on the highway, the authorities have announced helicopter from Jammu and Srinagar to Kargil.
The historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region also remained closed due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions. The senior civil and police officers from both sides of Pir-Ki-Gali in their report have recommended to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, to declare the road closed for six winter months as there is no chance of resumption of traffic.
However, only one-way traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway was plying on Tuesday, a traffic police official told media.
Today Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) will ply from Jammu to Srinagar with some restrictions, he said.
He said LMVs will be allowed to ply from 0500 hrs to 1400 hrs. However, the HMVs will be allowed from 1300 hrs to 1900 hrs, he said adding no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction.
