Chenab valley routes reopen for traffic as weather improves

Anantnag, April 22: With a significant improvement in weather conditions, the Anantnag–Kishtwar road via Sinthan Pass and the Anantnag–Warwan–Marwa road via Margan Top—key links connecting Kashmir with the Chenab Valley—were reopened for traffic on Tuesday.

The roads had been closed on Saturday following inclement weather and snowfall on the higher reaches, particularly at Sinthan Pass and Margan Top.

“As the area received heavy rainfall and snow over the high-altitude passes, the roads were closed as a precautionary measure. Now that the weather has improved, both roads have been reopened,” SDM Kokernag Suhail Ahmed told Greater Kashmir.

He confirmed that traffic was now moving normally on both routes. Notably, the roads had only been reopened last week after remaining closed for over five months due to winter snow accumulation.

The Kokernag–Kishtwar road, which serves as an alternative link between Kashmir and the outside world, remains motorable only during summer months. Heavy snowfall at multiple points, including Sinthan Pass—located at an altitude of 3,797 meters—renders the road impassable in winter.

The government has already approved the construction of a tunnel that would begin at Ahlan in the Vailoo area of Kokernag in Anantnag. The tunnel aims to bypass the treacherous sections of the current route, transforming it into an all-weather road and significantly reducing travel time between the two districts.

Meanwhile, the Kokernag–Warwan–Marwa road is the only surface link for nearly 40,000 residents of the twin valleys. These areas remain cut off during winter due to heavy snowfall on Margan Top. The valleys are not connected directly to the district headquarters in Kishtwar, forcing residents to either trek or access the region via the Kokernag–Sinthan route.