Snow, rain shut Jammu-Srinagar national highway

Jammu, December 12

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and the Mughal road were closed for traffic for the second consecutive day on Tuesday due to continuous snow and rain.

The nearly 300-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was closed as a precautionary measure in view of the heavy rain at Banihal, Ramban and Patnitop and snow on both sides of the Jawahar Tunnel.

“The highway is closed for second day on Tuesday. The highway was closed following heavy snow at Jawahar tunnel, Patnitop and Ramban area besides landslides triggered at Pathiyal early on Tuesday,” he said.

As per the advisory of traffic police department passengers planning to travel on the highway in coming days should contact traffic control room before leaving for their destinations.

Mughal road, connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district, has also been closed for the second day.

“There has been heavy snow in Pir Ki Gali and other areas en route Mughal road resulting in closure,” he said.

The traffic was suspended on Mughal road on Monday evening as a precautionary measure in view of the weather forecast predicting moderate to heavy snow in the high-altitude areas under the influence of a Western disturbance from December 11 to 14.

There was very heavy snow in hills of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kathua, Rajouri, Reasi and Poonch districts of Jammu region. As a result of which some inter-district and inter-state roads have been closed for traffic due to snow.

Jammu on Monday recorded the lowest day temperature as the mercury nosedived by almost nine notches amid incessant rain to settle nine degrees below normal during this part of the season.

The drop in the day temperature was the result of the prevailing weather condition which resulted in rain in the plains and snow in high-altitude areas. PTI