J&K highway, Mughal road closed for traffic, high-altitude areas receive snowfall

JAMMU: The Jammu-Srinagar national highway and Mughal road were shut due to mudslides and heavy snowfall as most of the high-altitude areas on Friday received fresh snowfall while plains of the Jammu region experienced heavy rains, triggering cold wave conditions.

The highway was closed for traffic due to mudslides at Mehar area in Ramban and heavy snowfall forced closure of the Mughal Road, an alternative link connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, officials said.

“The highway is blocked for vehicular movement at Mehar in Ramban. All types of vehicular movement are stopped. Commuters are advised not to travel till restoration is carried out,” a traffic police officer said.

More than 200 vehicles are stranded at various places enroute and have been asked to halt their vehicles at safe places, they said.

The Mughal road, which connects the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu with south Kashmir’s Shopian district, is closed for vehicular traffic for a second consecutive day in view of the snowfall between Poshana and Peer Ki Gali, they said.

The upper reaches of Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kathua experienced snowfall. The Banihal town also experienced the season’s first snowfall.

In plains of the Jammu region, there was heavy rainfall since early hours of this morning thereby bringing down the temperature and triggered cold conditions, they said.

In Jammu city, heavy rains broke the month-long dry spell.

According to the MeT Department, the weather condition will start improving later in the day. (PTI)