Landslide, Shooting Stones Block Highway T

he strategic Srinagar-Jammu highway on Saturday was closed for vehicular traffic as fresh snowfall in upper reaches of the Valley and incessant rains lashed plains dipping

the day temperature sharply.

The 270- km highway, the only surface link connecting Valley with rest of the world, was closed for traffic following incessant overnight rains triggering landslides and shooting stones at several places along the highway, officials said. They said landslide and shooting stones at Cafeteria Morh Ramban and Panthyal prompted the traffic authorities to suspend the traffic for the safety of commuters.

A Jammu-bound truck was also hit by stones rolling down a hillock overlooking the highway near Panthiyal but the driver and his helper escaped unhurt, they said. The officials said the traffic on the highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu and progressed smoothly till 3.30 pm despite incessant rains all along the highway.

However, landslides at various places, including Panthiyal, Cafeteria Morh and Digdole, forced suspension of the traffic, they said, adding that several hundred vehicles were left stranded on the highway in Ramban district and efforts are on to clear them.

“No vehicular movement shall be allowed from either side on the highway tomorrow (Sunday) in view of inclement weather/landslides at several places and continuous raining on the arterial road,” a spokesperson of the traffic department said.

He said the road clearance agencies have deployed their men and machines at the blocked spots and are making efforts to ensure early restoration of traffic on the highway.

The stranded vehicles would be allowed to move towards their destinations once the road is made traffic-worthy, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Leh highway, linking two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh and the historic 86-km-long Mughal road continue to remain closed for traffic,