Mughal road reopens, Kashmir and Ladakh highways through

Traffic on the Mughal road has been restored after remaining suspended following snowfall at Pir-ki-Gali due which the road had become very slippery, a traffic police official told UNI this morning
In this file photo, the Mughal road, which connects Rajouri and Poonch district, is draped in white following snowfall.  (PTI)
In this file photo, the Mughal road, which connects Rajouri and Poonch district, is draped in white following snowfall. (PTI)

SRINAGAR: The historic 86-km-long Mughal road reopened for one-way traffic only on Tuesday after remaining closed due to fresh snowfall and slippery road condition on Monday while the national highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir and 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu highway, was through for traffic.

Traffic on the Mughal road, linking Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch through Bafliaz, has been restored after remaining suspended yesterday following snowfall at Pir-ki-Gali due which the road had become very slippery, a traffic police official told UNI this morning.

He said only one-way Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) would be allowed on the road to avoid any accident or traffic jam as the road is still very narrow at some places and the vehicles had to pass through big snow walls on both sides.

Today, traffic will ply from Shopian towards Bufliaz, he said, adding that no vehicle will be allowed from opposite direction.

Traffic will be allowed from 0900 hrs as the road may be slippery at some places, he added.

Meanwhile, the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway was through for both ways for LMVs while HMVs will continue to ply one-side only as a precautionary measure.

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, opened the Leh highway yesterday though the GOC 15 Corps Lt General A K Bhatt had declared it open on April 6 without the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had informed the civil administration.

Officials said that LMVs shall ply from both sides on a daily basis.

However, HMVs shall ply only one-way on alternate days.

However, the vehicles from Drass (Ladakh) will be allowed from 0500 hrs and shall cross Sonamarg, Kashmir, by 1100 hrs.

Later, after the last Kashmir-bound vehicle crosses Sonamarg, traffic will be allowed from 1100 hrs till 1600 hrs from Sonamarg towards Drass.

No vehicle shall be allowed to move either way after the cut off timing, they said.

Traffic official said two-way LMVs will ply from both sides on the national highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.

However, HMVs will continue to ply from one-side only, he added.

Today, HMVs will ply from Jammu to Srinagar and will not be allowed from opposite direction, he said.

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