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Kashmir highway remains blocked for 3rd day, around 2,500 vehicles stranded
Heavy rain has hampered operations to clear the debris of a massive landslide in Ramban district.
The 294-km long Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all weather surface link with Kashmir, remained closed for the third consecutive day on Saturday as heavy rain hampered operations to clear the debris of a massive landslide in Ramban district, officials said.
“It is raining heavily in Ramban district and as a result restoration operations are being affected but men and machinery are at it and the debris will soon be cleared,” said JS Johar, Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic), national Highway.
The huge landslide in Digdol had blocked the highway on Thursday around 9 pm. It was fourth big landslide since November 7.
Johar said that around 2,500 vehicles, mostly trucks carrying essential commodities to Kashmir have been left stranded at various place on the highway.
About 1500 trucks are stranded between Nashri and Banihal in Ramban district.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has been trying to clear the debris but rains since Thursday have been hampering operations.
A local from Ramban said that rains have also triggered shooting stones in Marog, and Panthial on Saturday morning.
The Mughal road, which connects the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with Shopian district in south Kashmir, continued to remain closed for the 11th consecutive day on Saturday.
The road, which usually remains closed during the winter months, was closed on November 6 after high altitude areas including Pir Ki Gali experienced first major snowfall of the season.
Pir Ki Gali and adjoining areas along the Mughal Road witnessed snowfall over the past couple of days, officials said. A decision to reopen the road will be taken once the weather improves, they said.
The local meteorological department has predicted dry weather in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir for the next two days.
