Mughal Road shut after fresh snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu: The Mughal Road was closed for vehicular traffic on Saturday following fresh snowfall in the higher reaches, including Peer Ki Gali, along the alternative route connecting Jammu's Poonch and Rajouri districts to south Kashmir's Shopian district, officials said.

More than six inches of fresh snow has been recorded at the 11,433-feet high Peer Ki Gali, also known as the Pir Panjal pass, on the Mughal Road, prompting authorities to suspend vehicular traffic as a precautionary measure, they said.

It is still snowing from Dubjan to Peer Ki Gali, a distance of 45 kilometres, and there is apprehension of landslides and shooting stones from the hillock overlooking the road, they said.

No vehicular traffic will be allowed on the road till the weather improves and the road is cleared, the officials said.

The weather office has predicted wet weather till April 30, with moderate to heavy rainfall in the plains and light snowfall in high-altitude areas.

A Traffic department official said the 270-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar National Highway -- the only all weather-road connecting Kashmir with rest of the country -- was lashed by moderate to heavy rain, resulting in mudslides at several places, including Dalwas, Mahar, Gangroo and Hingani in Ramban district.

"The highway is open for traffic on both ways in a regulated manner in the affected areas due to a single-lane stretch and slippery conditions of the road," the official said and advised commuters to temporarily avoid travel on the highway. PTI TAS TAS SZM