Traffic resumes on Srinagar-Jammu highway

Srinagar:  The 300-km Srinagar- Jammu-highway was opened for traffic Saturday after remaining closed for three consecutive days due to heavy snowfall.

Reports said that the one-sided traffic on the only road link connecting Valley with rest of the world was resumed after the beacon authorities cleared the highway this afternoon. All the passenger vehicles bound to the winter capital were allowed to ply on the highway after the beacon authorities cleared the highway from blockades at several places. However, the movement of heavy vehicles including trucks and load carriers were also restricted by the officials.

Similarly, all the vehicles, including passenger buses were allowed to proceed towards the Valley.

“One way traffic has been restored since morning. All vehicles, including passengers’ buses were allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar,” Superintendent of Police (SSP), Highways, Ghulam Mohammad Wadoo told.

A senior beacon official said that the men and machinery were pressed into service to clear the highway that was rendered unsafe by snowfall and rains.

“It was totally slippery at various places on the highway and we had to suspended the traffic,” he said, adding, “After the road conditions improved the vehicles that were stranded on the highway where allowed to move towards their respective destinations,”

Meanwhile, a traffic official here said that both ways traffic would be allowed tomorrow incase weather remained dry. The official also asked the people desirous to travel through the highway to contact respective traffic control rooms in Jammu as well as Srinagar before the journey.