Sgr-Jmu NH, Sgr-Leh NH open

Ramban/ Bandipora/ Ganderbal/ Rajouri, Nov 5: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way movement of passenger Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) on Wednesday, while heavy vehicles were allowed one-way traffic towards Kashmir.

However, several other key mountain roads, including the Kishtwar-Sinthantop-Anantnag highway, Gurez-Bandipora road, and Mughal Road, were either closed or affected due to fresh snowfall and slippery conditions.

Traffic officials said that the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway would remain open on Thursday as well, allowing two-way traffic for LMVs and one-way movement of heavy vehicles towards Jammu, subject to fair weather and good road conditions.

Officials monitoring vehicular movement in Ramban said hundreds of LMVs plied smoothly in both directions, though movement remained slow due to single-lane stretches at Balli Nullah, Dewal, Nashri-Dalwass, and Maroog-Kishtwari Pathar.

Breakdowns of a few heavy vehicles and the movement of nomadic families with livestock towards Jammu also led to intermittent congestion.

Authorities have advised commuters to follow lane discipline and avoid overtaking to prevent traffic snarls.

Meanwhile, the Kishtwar-Sinthantop-Anantnag National Highway (NH-244) remained closed due to snow accumulation along the stretch.

Officials said that snow clearance operations were underway, and traffic would be allowed once conditions improve.

Authorities closed the 85-km Gurez-Bandipora road on Tuesday evening following fresh snowfall at Razdan Top, located at around 12,000 feet above the sea level.

The snowfall continued through Wednesday, prompting officials to keep the road closed as a precautionary measure. Locals said temperatures dipped further as higher reaches of Gurez, including Tulail Valley, were blanketed under snow.

“The valley was already cold, and temperatures plunged further on Tuesday, forcing people indoors around wood fireplaces,” said Abdul Raheem, a resident of Dawar.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Gurez, Mukhtar Ahmad, said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) initiated snow clearance operations on Wednesday, but the road remained closed due to slippery conditions.

“Only some emergency vehicles and stranded passengers at Tragbal were allowed to move so far,” he said. “The road will reopen once the weather improves and the snow is fully cleared.” Officials said that essential supplies, including food, fuel, and medicines, had already been stocked in the valley, which often remains cut off for months during heavy snowfall.

Traffic movement on the 434-km Srinagar-Leh National Highway resumed on Wednesday afternoon after remaining closed since Tuesday due to snowfall at Zojila Pass.

A Traffic Police official said Zojila received around 10 inches of snow since Tuesday evening, forcing authorities to close the route temporarily.

“The road was reopened on Wednesday afternoon, initially allowing traffic from Kargil towards Srinagar. All stranded vehicles have now been cleared,” the official said.

He said that the surface remains slippery, and necessary precautions are being taken to prevent mishaps.

Fresh snowfall was also reported from Minamarg and Drass, leading to a further drop in temperatures across the region.

The slight snowfall along the Mughal Road on Tuesday night turned the surface slippery, affecting vehicular movement for several hours on Wednesday morning.

District Traffic Inspector (DTI) Manzoor Kohli told Greater Kashmir that traffic movement remained affected for about three to four hours before improving with the return of sunshine around noon.

“Movement of vehicles is normal now,” he said.