Details

Written by: Press Trust of Kashmir

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 11 February 2019

SRINAGAR: The Srinagar Jammu highway remained closed for the sixth consecutive day on Monday, leading to a crisis of essential necessities in the Valley and stranding hundreds of vehicles. According to a traffic department official, a massive landslide delayed the opening of the highway. “Even as hectic landslide clearance operation was on in the Ramsoo-Ramban sector, a massive landslide hit the highway at Marog on Sunday, delaying the opening of the highway,” he said.

He stated that no traffic would be allowed unless the debris of the landslide weren’t cleared. Over the past six days, more than 3,000 vehicles have been left stranded along the nearly 300-kilometre long road, creating a crisis in the Valley since many are carrying essential necessities. This has led to a severe shortage of vegetables, poultry products, mutton and petroleum products. Authorities have rationed the supply of petroleum products owing to the current situation.

Following the closure of the highway on February 6, air travel fares have increased exponentially. Many stranded on the highway bound toward the valley have started running short of money and have demanded special air sorties to reach their destination. Meanwhile Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq criticized the state authorities for what he said failing to provide relief and help to the people stranded due to closure of Srinagar-Jammu highly from past six days.

Taking to Twitter, Mirwaiz said: “It is incumbent upon those who have blocked our natural routes to outside world and made us solely dependent on this artificial route (Jammu Srinagar highway) mostly closed in winter due to weather vagaries, to take responsibility of the dire consequences that people of Kashmir have to face and at least provide them with relief and help till they reach home"

Mirwaiz said that there is no support in place for the people who are stranded on the highway and have been left to fend for themselves. “Tens of thousands of Kashmiris are stranded in Jammu for past one week as the Srinagar-Jammu highway is closed and few flights are operating on this sector. People are facing tremendous hardship as their recourses to support themselves are drying up and they are stranded,” he tweeted.

He said that it is incumbent upon the state administration to take responsibility of the “dire consequences” that people of Kashmir have to face and at least provide them with relief and help till they reach home. He also criticised the state administration for failing to provide accommodation and food to the stranded passengers. The 270-km long strategic highway remained closed for sixth straight day today for traffic due to landslides and shooting-stones at several places.