Jammu-Srinagar National Highway closed for fourth day
February 09, 2019 13:00
The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained closed for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday as efforts were on to restore the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, officials said.
Men and machinery are on the job to clear the landslides which had blocked the 270-km highway at nearly a dozen places between Ramban and Banihal, while the snow clearance operation around Jawahar Tunnel in Kulgam district is also going on at war footing, Inspector General of Police (Traffic) Alok Kumar said.
"Efforts are on to restore the highway as soon as possible," he said.
A traffic department official said major landslides had struck the highway at Peeda, Sherbibi, Digdole, Maroog, Anokhifall, Panthiyal, Nashri, Khuni Nallah and Gangrasoo over the past couple of days due to incessant rains.
He said fresh landslides and shooting of stones from the hillock overlooking the highway were hampering the road clearance operation.
The highway was closed for traffic on Wednesday after heavy snowfall and rains lashed the area.
Snow from Banihal to Shaitani Nallah was cleared but the road is slippery and not trafficable, the official said, adding the snow clearance operation from Jawahar Tunnel to Qazigund was on.
-- PTI
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