Srinagar: Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir Valley with the rest of the world, remained closed on Sunday even as authorities expect clearance of the thoroughfare for allowing “stranded traffic only” by the afternoon.
“The highway is closed for now but we expect it to be cleared of landslides in next few hours,” a traffic department official said, adding, “Hopefully we may allow the stranded traffic to proceed towards Srinagar by afternoon.” The authorities have already announced that only stranded vehicles would be allowed and that too in groups rather than in bulk as and when the strategic road is made traffic worthy.
After remaining closed after nearly five days, traffic was allowed on Saturday but was affected due to landslides and shooting stones between Ramban- Banihal stretch around 1300 hours.
“Subject to fair weather/ clearance of road, only stranded vehicles shall be allowed towards Srinagar,” traffic department had said in a statement issued here.
“In-charge TCP Nagrota/Udhampur shall remain in constant touch with TCU Ramban (seek weather/road condition report) before allowing the vehicles towards Srinagr and release the vehicles in groups not in bulk,” it said. More than four thousand vehicles including passenger are stranded at several places along the highway, reports said.
