Jammu-Srinagar National Highway closed due to fresh snowfall, landslides.
Highlight
- Jammu-Srinagar National Highway closed due to fresh snowfall, landslides
- It is closed for traffic due to landslide, shooting of stones due to rain at many places
- Dozens of trucks stranded at different places due to highway closure: Officials
The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the only road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, had to be closed on Saturday (February 26) due to fresh snowfall and several landslides at various places, officials said.
Officials said today that due to landslides and stone pelting caused by rain at many places and snow accumulated around the Navyug tunnel, it has been closed for vehicular movement.
The highway is the lifeline of the Kashmir Valley and the main road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country. Trucks headed to Kashmir carrying essential supplies and other vehicles pass through the highway.
Snowfall occurred overnight in the Banihal-Qazigund sector of the highway, while Rompadi-Banihal, Shalgarh-Wagan, Maumpasi-Ramsu, Panthiyal, Digdole, Maroog, Monkey Mor, Cafeteria Mor witnessed landslides and shooting of stones from the hills due to heavy rains. Meher of Raman district, officials said.
He said Waseem Ahmed Dar, a truck driver from Baramulla, was injured when his vehicle was hit by a boulder at Meher around 4.30 am.
Officials said Dar was on his way from Jammu to Kashmir and was rescued by a joint team of police and civilian volunteers, his condition being described as “stable”.
Officials said dozens of trucks were stranded at different places due to the closure of the highway.
With the weather improving, he said road-clearing agencies have put pressure on personnel and machinery to clear debris from the highway.
Snowfall ranging from a few inches to more than a foot has also been reported from the higher reaches of Kishtwar, Reasi, Doda, Poonch, Rajouri and Kathua districts of Jammu region.
Officials said the hills of Trikuta, the famous cave temple of Mata Vaishno Devi in Reasi, have turned white after fresh snowfall, but the pilgrimage was going smoothly.
(with inputs from agencies)
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