Srinagar: An acute shortage of essentials of life has hit the landlocked Kashmir Valley as Jammu-Srinagar highway completed one week of closure on Tuesday even as authorities insist that best efforts are underway to clear the thoroughfare.
“The landslide at Marog in Ramban-Ramsoo sector has been almost cleared. But two fresh but minor landslides occurred in the sector during the night and would be cleared soon to allow traffic by afternoon,” a traffic police official said.
Around 3000 vehicles are stranded between Jammu and Srinagar due to closure of the thoroughfare following series of landslides at Maroog, Anokhi Fall, Panthyal, Nashri, KhooniNallah, Gangroo and Digdol areas since February 6.
Reportedly around 1500 trucks carrying essential supplies including ration, 300 oil tankers, 100 load carriers loaded with vegetables and fruits, and as many gas tankers, 300 vehicles carrying sheep, goats and chicken and 700 light motor vehicles are stranded at various locations en-route the highway.
Due to closure of highway, there is acute shortage of essentials and except onions and potatoes, vegetable supplies have completed become scare in most of the places in Srinagar and other places of the Valley. Mutton shops were closed on 2nd day of the highway’s closure and there is acute scarcity of other essentials as well. While officials tacitly admit shortage of essentials, they insist that medicine supplies were enough to last for one month.
