Srinagar: Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir with rest of the world, reopened for one-way traffic after it was closed following rainfall which triggered landslides and shooting stones at few places along the thoroughfare.
A traffic department official said that the 300-km highway was reopened for one-way traffic from Srinagar to Jammu on Friday, nearly 12-hours after the thoroughfare was closed for traffic due to landslides and shooting stones triggered by rains.
“From12.30 a.m. we resumed the traffic, around 500 trucks and 1200 motor vehicles were allowed from Jammu to Srinagar,” a traffic department official said
He said that on Saturday traffic will be allowed from Srinagar to Jammu but asked commuters to check status of the highway before travel in wake of the weather forecast.
Director Meteorological Department, J&K, Sonam Lotus said that the snowfall would be occur at isolated place over high reach of the J&K state till tonight. However he said overall weather will improve from tomorrow afternoon.
As per the Met Department from 8:30a.m to 5.30 pm on Friday, Srinagar recorded 2.1.mm, Qazigund receive 6.6mm, Banihal 10.3mm, Pahalgam 7.4mm, Gulmarg 6.3, Kukernag 4.1mm and Kupwara 25mm.
Director, Disaster Management, Aamir Ali appealed the people living in avalanche prone areas and higher reaches to adhere to avalanche warnings issued on daily basis through print and electronic media.
The officer advised the people not to venture in these areas and to take precautionary measures.
On the basis of information received from Snow & Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), the State Disaster Management Authority SDMA has issued medium danger avalanche warning for Baramulla, Gulmarg, Furkian-Z Gali, Kupwara-Chowkibal-Tangdhar, Bandipora, Kargil and Gurez Sector.
Meanwhile, low danger warning has been issued for Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Anantnag, Kulgam, Budgam, Leh Districts and Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
