No traffic on Srinagar-Jammu highway, Leh, Mughal road open

Jammu:Traffic was on Wednesday suspended on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only all-weather road connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country for weekly maintenance.However, the national highway, the only road linking Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir, the historic 86-km-long Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar roads are through for traffic, a traffic police official said.He said no vehicle was allowed from Srinagar or Jammu on the highway in view of weekly maintenance on Wednesday, particularly between Nashree and Jawahar tunnel.The administration has announced that traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway will remain suspended on every Wednesday to enable National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) carry out necessary weekly maintenance and repair of the road, particularly between Nashree and Jawahar tunnel where road widening is also underway.He said one-way traffic was being allowed on the Srinagar-Leh national highway. Today vehicles will ply from Kargil to Srinagar on the highway. However, Kashmir-bound vehicles had to leave from Minamarg between 0700 hrs to 1400 hrs. No vehicle will be allowed before or after cut-off timing, he added.Meanwhile, Mughal road, which connects Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region was through for traffic. However, passenger vehicles and pedestrian movement will remain suspended. Only vehicles, including trucks carrying perishable fruit and vegetables besides empty trucks and oil tankers will be allowed to ply from Herpora Shopian between 0900 hrs to 1400 hrs only towards Poonch. No vehicle will be allowed before and after the cut of timing.Leaders of different mainstream political parties, locals of Rajouri and Poonch besides those living on both sides of the Mughal road are demanding that passenger vehicles should also be allowed to ply on the road, which is seen as alternative to Srinagar-Jammu highway.Meanwhile, only vehicles carrying patients and other medical emergencies are being allowed on Anantnag-Sinthin and Kishtwar road.