SRINAGAR: Jammu-Srinagar Highway, the main food artery of Kashmir food and other essentials and other vital roads were closed for vehicular traffic.
Resultantly thousands vehicle loaded with essential commodities are stranded on Srinagar-Jammu highway and Kashmir Valley remained cut off from the rest of the country as all surface links, including the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, were closed for traffic on Thursday due to multiple landslides and the washing away of road patches due to rains.
The closure of highways and other inter-regional roads since August 26 has resulted in over 3,500 vehicles getting stuck at various places from Kathua to Kashmir. The highway was partially reopened on Monday for facilitating the movement of some stranded vehicles.
“The Jammu-Srinagar highway, Mughal Road and Sinthan Road are closed for vehicular movement due to landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones at several places,” a traffic police officer said.
Besides this, important highways, including the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch highway and the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway, are shut for traffic in view of landslides and the washing away of portions of roads.
With the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar highway, Mughal Road, Sinthan-Anantnag Road, Jammu-Poonch highway and Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway, all surface connectivity to Kashmir Valley has been cut off, officials said.
“Jammu-Srinagar is closed for vehicular movement from Jakhani in Udhampur towards Srinagar and vice versa due to the road being damaged at multiple places. No vehicular movement shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) towards Reasi, Chenani, Patnitop, Doda, Ramban, Banihal, Srinagar and vice versa,” the traffic police advisory said.
It said commuters belonging to Katra and Udhampur town are requested to keep their photo ID cards to prove their identification so that their movement can be facilitated smoothly.
Restoration work is underway at affected places in the Udhampur-Ramban-Banihal section on a war footing, they said.
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