J-K highway closed for second consecutive day due to snowfall

JAMMU: Heavy snowfall and landslides brought vehicular traffic along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway to a halt for the second consecutive day today cutting off the Kashmir Valley from the rest of the country.

"The highway has been closed for vehicular traffic for the second consecutive day today due to heavy snowfall in Banihal-Patnitop stretch and incidents of landslide," police here said.

As snowfall abated in some parts of the state today, officials scrambled to clear the 300-km-long highway of snow and debris. It, however, remained close for traffic.

The closure left over 3,100 vehicles stranded at various points on the highway, especially in Ramban, Udhampur and Nagrota areas of Jammu district, officials said.

The highway was closed first on January 13 due to landslides and was opened for one way-traffic on January 14 for a brief period, before heavy snowfall and avalanches brought traffic to a halt.

In January alone, the highway has remained close for almost 11 days.

Traffic was also suspended on the inter-state Bhaderwah-Chamba (Himachal Pradesh) road following heavy snowfall at Sartangal Pass.

Meanwhile, traffic was restored along the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch highway, while the road connecting Doda with Kishtwar remained closed.