The Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday while as over 450 stranded vehicles at Ramban were allowed to move towards Kashmir. The strategic road will re-open for fresh traffic on Friday. The 300-km highway, the only road linking Kashmir with the rest of the world, was closed for traffic on Monday due to snowfall and rain at various places coupled with landslides and shooting stones. The shooting stones and landslides which occurred in the last couple of days at multiple places including Anokhifall and Marog near Ramban town led to the closure of the road since last four days. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which maintains the arterial road, was pressed its men and machines to clear the landslides in the area. A cop posted at Traffic Control Room Ramban told GNS that the despite the hectic efforts, the agencies concerned involved in the road clearance have cleared the highway from all the blockades today.
“As the highway was cleared from all the blockades, over 300 trucks and over 150 light motor stranded vehicles were cleared today and were allowed to move towards Kashmir,” the official said. He said that subject to the fair weather conditions, the traffic will be allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar tomorrow (Friday). “The traffic will ply one way tomorrow (Friday) and the vehicles will be allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar only,” the official said, adding that no vehicle will be allowed to move from the opposite side. Meanwhile, a weather department official said there was the possibility of rain or snow in some areas in the next 24 hours. “Light rain/snow would occur at isolated places over the higher reaches of the state in next 24-hours,” the official said. He said that Srinagar recorded a low of 1.9 and maximum of 9.9 degree Celsius. He said Gulmarg – the ski resort place-in north Kashmir settled at minus 6.6 degrees Celsius. The ski resort had a low of 1.3 degrees Celsius. Kargil and Leh townships in Ladakh region recorded a minimum of minus 11.0 and minus 6.9 degrees Celsius and a maximum of minus 1.5 and 6.2 respectively, the spokesman said. The Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.9 and a maximum of 4.3 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, authorities today issued a fresh avalanche warning in Kashmir Valley. “As per a communication of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, there is a danger of avalanches from February 15 to February 16 in avalanche prone areas of Bandipora, Baramulla, Anantnag, Kulgam, Budgam, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Leh and Kargil districts of Kashmir Division.
” An official in a statement issued here said. The Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts have been asked to advise people not to venture out in avalanche prone areas, he said.