Jammu And Kashmir: Snowfall, Landslides Shut Highway, 300 Vehicles Stuck

Jammu and Kashmir: Over 300 vehicles have been stranded on both sides of the highway between Banihal and Qazigund, the officials said.

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for traffic on Tuesday following snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel area and multiple landslides between Banihal and Chanderkote, according to officials. Over 300 vehicles have been stranded on both sides of the highway due to landslides. The Jawahar Tunnel - the gateway to Kashmir - witnessed snowfall this morning. Traffic was suspended between Banihal and Qazigund towns, the officials said. Incessant rainfall in most parts of the highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, for the third day on Tuesday, triggered landslides at nearly a dozen places between Banihal and Chanderkote. Parul Bhardwaj, Deputy Superintendent of Police Traffic (National Highway Ramban), said a few hundred vehicles were stranded on the road between Nashri and Chanderkote since Monday night. "Despite incessant rain and the lurking threat of shooting stones, the men and machinery kept the highway open. Majority of the stranded vehicles in Ramban were cleared last night itself," he told news agency PTI. According to the official, a major landslide had struck the highway overnight at Cafeteria Morh, while the road is also closed by debris at many places including Maroog, Monkey Morh, Panthiyal, Digdole, Sherbibi and Shabinbas.