Snowfall closes Srinagar-Jammu highway

SRINAGAR - The Srinagar-Jammu national highway was closed for traffic Thursday due to heavy snowfall in the Bannihal area of the highway.

“About two feet of snow accumulated on the road during the night. It is snowing in the Qazigund-Bannihal sector of the highway.

“The highway has been closed for the traffic and road clearance operation shall start once the snowfall stops,” a traffic department officer said here.

Around four dozen trucks loaded with essential supplies for the landlocked Valley, whose only road link with the outside world is the highway, are stranded.

“Efforts are on to clear the stranded vehicles. All of these are parked at safe places on the highway,” the officer said.

There are many avalanche and landslide prone areas along the 300 km-long highway and it is always important to park a stranded vehicle at defined safe areas to avoid any tragedy.

Meanwhile, the weatherman has forecast light to moderate snowfall Thursday in the entire Valley.