Srinagar: The Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir Valley with rest of the world, was closed for traffic after fresh landslides along the thoroughfare in Ramban district on Friday, three days after it was opened partially after remaining shut for one week.
Official sources said.
“There were fresh landslides near Panthal, Digdol and other adjoining area as a result of which highway has been closed,” a traffic department official said, adding, the concerned agencies are clearing debris and the thoroughfare is likely to be restored for one-way traffic in the afternoon.
He said nearly 2000 vehicles including trucks carrying essential supplies are stranded on the highway. “Once the highway is restored, only stranded traffic will be allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar,” he said.
After partial restoration of the highway, there was some relief from the severe shortages of essential supplies in the landlocked Kashmir Valley. Each time the highway gets closed, essentials of life like fuel, vegetables, poultry products and mutton disappear from the valley’s markets.
Earlier this week, according to the divisional commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan, around 6000 trucks and load carriers carrying essential supplies reached Valley. After the arrival of the supplies, the administration withdrew order on rationing of petrol to 3 litres per day and 10 litres diesel per commercial vehicle per day in the Valley. Despite it, some petrol and diesel refilling stations went dry.
