Thaindian News

Srinagar, Jan 10 (IANS) Despite snow, the Srinagar-Jammu national highway will remain open for one-way traffic Tuesday and vehicles will be allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials said here.

Brigadier T.P.S. Rawat, chief engineer of BRO, told IANS, “The Srinagar-Jammu highway will remain open for one-way traffic Tuesday as only vehicles from Jammu to Srinagar will be allowed to move on the road.”

“Some fresh snow gathered on the Banihal sector of the road, which has been cleared to ensure the passage of the vehicles,” Rawat said.

Over 2,000 valley-bound passengers were stranded in the winter capital Jammu during the last three days because of highway closure.

Vehicles carrying essential supplies to the valley and ferrying stranded passengers were allowed to move on the road Tuesday also after it was opened to one-way traffic by the BRO authorities.

The highway is the only road connection between the landlocked valley and the rest of the country. It is the lifeline of essential supplies to the valley as petroleum products, food grain and other essential commodities are brought in along this highway.

Continued blockade of the road by snowfall and landslides, especially during winter months, results in unscrupulous traders resorting to profiteering and blackmarketing in the valley.