Srinagar, Jan 28 (KNO): The 270-km Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) was fully reopened for passenger traffic on Wednesday after being closed due to heavy snowfall on Tuesday, officials said.
They said priority was given to clearing light motor vehicles (LMVs) stranded at multiple points in Qazigund, while snow clearance continues on vulnerable stretches.
“Salt and urea were sprinkled at key locations earlier in the morning to improve road safety,” officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). They advised commuters to follow lane discipline and avoid overtaking or wrong-lane driving to prevent congestion.
Travellers have been urged to check road status via Traffic Police social media handles.
Meanwhile, flight operations at Srinagar Airport have resumed. A few morning flights faced minor delays due to poor visibility, but arrivals and departures throughout the day operated smoothly.
Officials also said that F&B outlets and retail shops are open, and the terminal remains warm and passenger-friendly despite the chilly weather.
To ease travel disruptions, the Jammu Division of Northern Railway operated special reserved trains between Katra and Srinagar, adding two extra AC coaches on Wednesday to accommodate 144 additional passengers.
Over 1,650 passengers travelled on the special trains, achieving full occupancy and generating record revenue.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal, told KNO that the special trains operated on January 27th and 28th provided much-needed relief to tourists and travellers visiting Kashmir, as road and air travel were disrupted due to inclement weather.
“More than 3000 passengers travelled on these special trains over the two days and expressed their gratitude to the railways. The occupancy of these special trains was over 100 per cent, and the revenue generated from these trains increased due to the addition of two extra AC coaches,” he said.
Singhal added that such initiatives will build confidence in the railways among travellers and tourists visiting Kashmir, and will lead to an increase in the number of tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir in the future—(KNO)