Sgr-Leh highway closed for winter
GANDERBAL: The 434-km-long strategic Srinagar-Leh highway, connecting the Ladakh region with the Kashmir valley, has been officially closed for winter months to avoid any accidents following fresh snowfall and slippery road conditions due to freezing temperatures.
Officials said the road has become very slippery particularly at Zojila, Meenamarg, Zero-Point, India Gate and other places, where the mercury remained below minus 10 to minus 15 degree Celsius during the night and sub zero during the day.
As per an official communiqué from Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P K Pole, the highway has been officially closed from 1st January till further orders.
“In view of the weather forecast of Snowfall, sub-zero temperature and slippery condition of the road from Gagangeer to Zero point (Zojilla), the committee formed vide Government order No. 1048-JK(GAD) of 2020 , dated 13-11-2020 met informally and decided to close the road which endanger the life and property due to the slippery conditions from 1st january 2021 to avoid any mishap till further orders,” reads the official communiqué.
The highway, which usually remains closed from 1st week of December for about four to five months every year, had remained open for a longer period this time around because of the dry weather, officials added.
Meanwhile, Beacon on the intervening night of 31 December rescued 300 Passengers and 106 Vehicles who were stuck at Zojila Pass due to the slippery road conditions.
On getting the information 122 RCC of Beacon party headed by Captain Vikram Jadhav launched a rescue operation to pull out the stuck up vehicles and passengers from the Zojila Pass.
KV Correspondent
