Civilian traffic resumes on Srinagar-Jammu highway after remaining suspended for a day
Srinagar, Apr 22 (UNI): One-way civilian traffic was resumed on Monday on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road connecting Kashmir with rest of the country, after remaining suspended on Sunday due to ban imposed by the authorities to allow security forces convoy to move freely.
Meanwhile, the national highway, linking Ladakh region with the Kashmir valley remained closed for the past six months due to accumulation of five to ten feet of snow. The historic 86-km-long Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar roads also remained closed since November last year.
Today traffic will move from Srinagar to Jammu only and no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction, a traffic police official told UNI.
He said Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) will be allowed to leave between 0700 hrs to 1000 hrs at Levdora Qazigund. Later, he said, later Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) shall be allowed between 1000 hrs to 1300 hrs from Zig Qazigund towards Jammu.
The spokesperson denied rumours that traffic will ply from Jammu to Srinagar today. He advised people undertaking the journey on the highway not to pay any heed to rumours and traffic will ply from Srinagar to Jammu only.
The authorities had banned civilian traffic movement, including inter-district, on the highway twice in a week on Sunday and Wednesday to allow safe and free movement of security force convoy. The decision was taken after Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) fidayeen attack left 44 CRPF personnel dead on February 14 at Awantipora in Pulwama district on the highway and later unsuccessful similar attack in Jawahar tunnel area.
However, the ban has evoked sharp reactions from leaders of mainstream, separatists besides traders, transporters and common people, who have filed a number of petitions against ban in the High Court, where the case will come up today.
Snow clearance operation was going on war footing on to put through the national highway, the only road link between Ladakh and Kashmir, which is closed since November last year. The road was reopened last year on April 6, official sources said adding snowfall in March and April has hampered the snow clearance operation, which is going on from both sides of the Zojila. People in border town of Drass and Kargil alleged shortage of essentials, particularly fresh vegetables.
Meanwhile, a joint inspection team headed by District Development Commissioner Ganderbal, Hashmat Ali Khan on Sunday visited the Sonamarg Zojila road to review the road clearance operation on Srinagar- Leh National Highway.
SSP Ganderbal, Khalil Poswal, SDPO Kangan, besides officials from Border Roads Organization (BRO) also accompanied the DDC.
During the visit, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials briefed the DDC about the current condition of the road and snow clearance operation at Zojila Pass upto Zero Point on Sonamarg side.
The Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region also remained closed though snow clearance operation has been started from both sides of Pir-ki-Gali.
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