For the sixth consecutive day on Monday, the Srinagar-Jammu highway remained shut for the traffic and officials said the problem is getting escalated as a fresh huge landslide has hit the road at Ramsoo.
The arterial road was closed last Wednesday after falling stones and landslides triggered by snowfall and rains hit the 300-kilometer long road.
ALSO READ: JNU scholar found dead
“The road is closed. Nothing can be said about its re-opening,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Traffic (Rural), Ajaz Ahmad Bhat said on Monday evening. “No movement of traffic was allowed on Monday and a good chunk of vehicles carrying passengers and essentials are stranded on the road at various places.”
The SSP said that problem is getting aggravated as a huge landslide hit the road in Ramsoo Sector Monday morning. “It seems as if a hill has come down on the road, a huge area has been blocked,” he said adding that clearance operation was on. “At the same time, falling stones are still hitting the road.”
A senior police officer said that Border Roads Organization (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway, is at the job to clear the road. “As soon as the road gets cleared we will inform the public,” SSP said adding that they can’t risk the lives of passengers and other people. “People must remain in contact with Traffic Control Units of Srinagar and Jammu for the status of the highway.”
Reports have suggested that hundreds of vehicles, particularly empty trucks and oil tankers, are stranded at Qazigund and other places for last six days. They said that vehicles are also stranded in Udhampur and some other areas near the Jammu side.
Hundreds of stranded passengers including children and women continued their journey by foot to reach their destinations on Monday, alleging that no official was present for their assistance. They accused police and civil administrations of being unresponsive towards their duties. They alleged that due to lack of coordination between police and civil administration, the passengers have been suffering beyond imagination.
MeT officials here said that there has been an improvement in weather on Monday but the night chill continued due to open skies and cold winds.