Historic Mughal road still closed, one way traffic on Srinagar-Leh highway

Srinagar, Nov 21: The historic 86-km-long Mughal road, connecting south Kashmir with Jammu remained closed for the 5th day on Tuesday while only one-way traffic will ply on Srinagar-Leh national highway.

However, the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, linking Kashmir valley with the rest of the country was through for traffic though heavy vehicles will continue to ply from one side only. A traffic police official that Mughal road from Shopian in South Kashmir to Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region will remain closed for the 5th day today.We have removed snow from the road which was still slippery due to below freezing temperature, officials said adding to avoid any accident we are not allowing traffic. However, they said if there is improvement in the weather and no further snowfall traffic could be allowed, which is seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The state government has already taken up the issue of constructing a tunnel to make it all weather road. Traffic officials said that only one way traffic will be allowed on 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh. We were allowing traffic from Drass to Sonmarg in Kashmir early in the morning and later from here to other side of the Zojila on the highway, he said adding due to slippery road condition now we are allowing traffic only during the day. He said yesterday traffic was allowed from Drass to Kashmir and no vehicle from here could cross to other side of the Zojila. Today we will allow traffic from here to Ladakh and no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction to avoid accident . However, traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway was plying. He said light vehicles will ply from both sides while heavy vehicles operated from Srinagar to Jammu on Tuesday. However, the vehicles had to cross Jawahar tunnel by 1000 hrs. No heavy vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction on the highway. Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying essentials for Kashmir left different parts of the Jammu region this morning. UNI