Srinagar-Leh highway reopens after 3 days

"Essential service traffic was restored on Srinagar-Leh National Highway after remaining suspended for three days due to landslides at various places,"a traffic police official told UNI.

He said traffic on the Highway was suspended on May 1 due to landslides between Gumri and Minimarg due to incessant rain.

However, BEACON project of Border Road Organization (BRO), responsible for maintenance of the highway, pressed into service sophisticated machine and cleared the landslides. 'After getting green signal from police and BRO officials deployed on the ground, traffic was allowed on the highway,' he further said.

The Leh highway reopened on April 11 after remaining closed for the past about five months due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions. However, only vehicles carrying essentials, including petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders, were allowed to ply on the highway.

He stated no passenger vehicles would be allowed on the highway, where health checkup for truckers and their helpers -- while going to Ladakh and the way back -- has been made mandatory to curtail spread of Coronavirus.

"Only a driver and a helper would be allowed with a truck, carrying essential commodities to the Union Territory of Ladakh," he further stated.

Meanwhile, only essential service traffic and SRTC buses, ferrying stranded passengers who were returning from different parts of the country, were plying on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which connects Kashmir with rest of the country.

"From last couple of days, SRTC buses, ferrying stranded Kashmiris who have returned from different parts of the country to the UT, were allowed on the highway," he added.