Jammu-Srinagar highway open for one-way traffic

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway was open on Monday for one-way traffic as more than 600 stranded vehicles, carrying essential supplies to the Valley, were cleared on Sunday evening.

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway was open on Monday for one-way traffic as more than 600 stranded vehicles, carrying essential supplies to the Valley, were cleared on Sunday evening.

"Vehicles from Srinagar to Jammu will ply on the national highway and no vehicle from opposite direction will be allowed today (Monday)", an official of traffic police department told IANS here.

The national highway had witnessed chaos on Sunday due to long traffic jams as some vehicles travelling from the opposite side - Srinagar to Jammu - resulted in blockades.

The Jammu-Srinagar highway is the supply lifeline of the Valley.

The over 300-kilometre long road witnesses frequent closures due to snowfall and rain, mostly in the winter months.

"This year large portions of the road were damaged due to incessant rains triggering landslides.

"We have deployed earthmovers at Peda, Gangroo and Magarkote to fill the ditches on the road with earth and stones so that highway remains open," the official said.