Srinagar-PoK bus service suspended due to rain

SRINAGAR: The weekly bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), was on Monday suspended after heavy rains swept away a portion of the highway in Uri sector of north Kashmir, official sources said.

"The bus service, named as Karvan-e-Aman (peace carvan) was suspended after 100-feet portion of the highway near Gawalta was swept away by floods caused by heavy rains and cloudburst," the officials said.

Heavy rains lashed wide parts of Kashmir Valley this morning but there was no other report of any damage or causality.

The cross-LoC bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad was started in April 2005 to facilitate meeting of divided families.

The sources said senior civil officers have rushed to the scene to assess the damage caused to the highway due to cloudburst and heavy rains.

Repair work to restore the 170-km road between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad is expected to start within a day or two, the officials said.