Jammu bound stranded vehicles to ply on Kashmir highway only

"Meanwhile, only one-way traffic will continue to ply on national highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir and historic 86-km-long Mughal road linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region," traffic official told UNI.

Large number of vehicles, which had left different parts of the Kashmir valley for Jammu, got stranded on the highway on Monday since night travel on the highway is not allowed to avoid any accident. This morning stranded vehicles were allowed to move towards their respective destinations, he said. However, no fresh vehicle was allowed from Srinagar or Jammu today.

The traffic police official said that the decision to allow fresh traffic will be taken only after clearing all stranded vehicles. Only one-way traffic is allowed on the highway for the past about two years due to road widening work and frequent landslides and shooting stones, particularly between Ramban and Ramsu.

In the past the distance between Srinagar and Jammu was being covered in just 8 to 12 hours. However, now it takes two days or more to cover the distance, resulting in frequent shortage of essentials in the Kashmir valley, which is entirely dependent on imports from different state, alleged traders. Prices of essentials, particularly vegetables, fruit and chicken and meat has witness increase due to shortage of these items. Traders alleged that they are paying more for transportation of goods from other states as truckers are not ready to operate on the highway which remains shut frequently due to landslides and shooting stones.

Traffic official said, "Mughal road, also seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway, was through for one-way traffic and today Kashmir bound vehicles only will ply. However, the Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) were asked to leave from Behramgalla between 0500 hrs to 0900 hrs and HMVs from 0900 hrs to 1500 hrs. No vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction and after the deadline."

Today only Kashmir bound traffic was allowed on the national highway, linking Ladakh region with Srinagar. However, LMVs had to leave Minimarg between 0700 hrs to 1000 hrs and HMVs from 1000 hrs to 1300 hrs. No vehicle will be allowed after the dead line and from opposite direction.