Srinagar-Leh road closed for traffic, reopened later
Srinagar: Authorities have closed Srinagar-Leh Highway for civilian traffic after fresh military movements by the Chinese troops on the intervening night of August 29-30 in Ladakh.
Sources said that civilian vehicles on way to Ladakh were stopped at Manigam and Sumbal-Sonawari area. An official said that no vehicle was being allowed to move towards Sonmarg and beyond.
The Srinagar-Leh Highway, however, will remain open for the movement of army convoys, the official added.
Eyewitnesses said that only armoured vehicles can be seen plying on Srinagar-Leh highway. The road according to official will remain open only for the defence forces and armoured vehicles.
A top police official however said the highway was closed for weather reasons. He said inclement weather prompted authorities to close the Srinagar-Leh highway for civilian traffic.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army issued a statement on Monday stating that the Chinese troops attempted to unilaterally change the status quo on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake area in eastern Ladakh.
In a statement, the defence ministry said, “On the night of 29/30 August 2020, PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo.”
The Indian troops detected activity by a sizeable number of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) during the night, the Army said.
Meanwhile, after remaining closed for a few hours, the traffic was later restored on the highway.
SSP Ganderbal said that traffic was restored after remaining closed for a few hours. “It was due to landslides at some places and there was no other reason,” he said. (KNT)
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