Srinagar: The Srinagar-Jammu national highway, connecting Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country, remained closed for the fourth consecutive day today due to landslides and shooting stones triggered by rains and snow.
“The national highway is still closed for traffic and no vehicle has been allowed to ply either from Jammu or Srinagar today,” an official of the Traffic Control Room said.
He said the rainfall occurred at regular intervals in most of the areas along the highway yesterday, especially between Jawahar Tunnel and Ramban, resulted in occurring of fresh landslide in Ramsoo area and shooting stones at Panthyal and other places.
“As such keeping the security and safety of the commuters in view, no movement of traffic, either from Jammu or Srinagar, has been allowed today,” the official said.
He said while the men and machinery were on the job, the adverse weather was affecting the restoration works.
Kashmir Valley continued to receive intermittent rainfall during the night, while the higher reaches, including the famous tourist resort of Pahalgam, recorded fresh snowfall.
A Meteorological Department official said Pahalgam received about seven cm of fresh snowfall during the night and there were reports of snowfall in some other areas in the higher reaches of the Valley as well.
Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir received 3.4 mm of rains, while Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded 7.7 mm of rainfall, the official said.
South Kashmir’s Kokernag area recorded 27 mm of rainfall during the night, the official said, adding the neighbouring Qazigund received 22.8 mm of rains till 0830 hours this morning.
He said while there is possibility of rains or thundershowers at isolated places in the state, the weather is likely to improve later today.
—PTI