Srinagar-Jammu NH shut for fourth day due to landslides

Srinagar: The Srinagar-Jammu national highway – the only all-weather road linking Kashmir valley with the rest of India – remained shut for the fourth consecutive day today due to landslides, a traffic department official said.

Shooting stones and smaller landslides at a few places have hampered efforts to clear the highway, the official said. The highway was briefly re-opened for traffic on Tuesday after two days, but it was closed again yesterday due to the landslides, he said. He said road maintenance agencies were clearing the highway.

“Clearance work is under process and a decision to allow movement of traffic on the highway will be taken only after the road is cleared off by the concerned road maintenance agency and after assessing weather as well as road condition,” the official said.

The highway was closed for traffic on Monday as Kashmir experienced the season’s first major snowfall. The closure of the highway resulted in shooting of prices of essential commodities in the valley. Divisional administration officials, however, maintain that there is an adequate stock of essential commodities in the valley.

They warned that traders found trying to take advantage of the road block will be dealt with as per the law.