SRINAGAR: For the fourth day in a row, traffic has been suspended on Srinagar-Jammu national highway following landslides and slippery roads.
Fresh landslides occurred at Sitaram and Cafeteria area on Friday evening which hampered the road clearance operation. Nearly 250 truck and 45 passenger vehicles are stranded on the highway.
Traffic was briefly restored on Thursday evening and the Jammu bound trucks were allowed to pass the vulnerable stretch. Nearly 1000 trucks from the valley were able to cross the landslide-prone areas before the road was closed again.
Traffic Control Room, Ramban, said traffic will remain suspended on Saturday also. “There were fresh landslides near Sitaram and Cafeteria. Nearly 250 truck and 45 passenger vehicles are stranded at different places along the highway,” said an official.
Light to moderate snowfall started in many parts of Kashmir on Friday evening. Issuing a red alert, the Meteorological department forecasted heavy to very heavy rain and snow in the next 48 hours.
MeT said the weather system may affect surface and air transportation, mainly on Saturday. “It may cause avalanche/landslide in vulnerable spots.”
MeT has urged people not to venture into avalanche-prone areas and follow traffic advisory.
Flight operation resumed at Srinagar airport after visibility improved on Friday. However, five flights were canceled after massive snowfall lashed Kashmir late Friday afternoon.
Director Disaster Management Aamir Ali said five flights were canceled and the rest operated normally.
Earlier, Director, Airports Authority of India, Srinagar, Kuldeep Singh told The Kashmir Monitor that they have 37 scheduled flights on Friday.
“Out of which, 22 have already operated and the remaining 15 flights will operate on schedule subject to weather,” Singh said.
Srinagar Airport witnessed 6 cancellations on Thursday. Around 35 flights operated with some delays.