SRINAGAR: Traffic on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, remained closed for the second day on Sunday due to landslides, triggered by heavy rain.
Over 600 vehicles, mostly carrying passengers, and trucks loaded with essentials and fruit besides oil tankers were stranded on the highway at different places.
However, the national highway linking Ladakh region with Kashmir and historic Mughal road were through for traffic.
Srinagar-Jammu highway also remained closed for the second day due to heavy landslides at Magarkote Ramban, a traffic police official told UNI.
He said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, have already pressed into service with sophisticated machines and men to clear the landslides and put through the traffic.
However, he said, there was fresh rain since this morning, hampering the road clearance operation.
"Therefore, people are requested to avoid journey on the highway without confirming road status," he added.
He said traffic will be resumed only after receiving green signal from the BRO and traffic police officials posted at different places, particularly in Ramban.
However, only stranded vehicles will be allowed to ply, he said, adding fresh traffic will be allowed only after clearing stranded vehicles.
Official sources said that over 600 vehicles, including 400 carrying passengers, are stranded at different places on the highway.
However, the authorities have claimed that passengers are being provided shelter and food.
Official sources said trucks loaded with fruit from different parts of the Kashmir valley to mandis across the country are stranded on the highway.
Similarly, trucks carrying essentials for Kashmir are also stranded at different places.
A large number of passenger vehicles are also stranded on the highway, sources added.
Meanwhile, the 86-km-long historic Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region, was open for traffic.
Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) traffic will continue to ply from both sides while Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) will ply from Shopian to Rajouri and Poonch on Saturday and no HVM will be allowed from opposition direction.
Traffic was plying normally on the national highway, the only road connecting Ladakh with Kashmir.