Ramban, Jan 1: The Srinagar-Leh National Highway and Mughal Road remained closed while the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway stayed open on Thursday.
The Srinagar-Leh National Highway connecting Ladakh with Kashmir remained closed for the third day due to the accumulation of heavy snow following the recent spell of snowfall.
The highway was closed for traffic on Monday after Zojila Pass and the higher reaches of Kashmir received heavy snowfall.
Zojila Pass saw an accumulation of over 1 foot of snow.
An official said that the road had been closed, keeping in view the accumulation of snow and slippery conditions.
He said that the snow clearance work would be carried out by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) after improvement in weather.
The official said that after assessing the road conditions, the traffic movement would be restored.
The Mughal Road, the key link connecting the Rajouri and Poonch districts of the Pir Panjal region with Kashmir, was closed for vehicular movement following fresh snowfall on Wednesday night.
Officials said heavy snow accumulation at various stretches of the road led to its blockage, rendering the route unsafe for traffic.
The closure has affected the movement of vehicles between the Pir Panjal region and Kashmir.
The Traffic Police have advised commuters to avoid travelling towards the Mughal Road until it is officially reopened and urged people to cooperate with authorities and adhere to safety advisories.
The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for two-way traffic on Thursday.
Traffic authorities said that, subject to favourable weather and road conditions, Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and heavy vehicles would be allowed to ply from both sides of the highway on Friday.
Authorities said that LMVs and heavy vehicles were permitted to move in both directions throughout Thursday.
However, traffic movement remained slow at several stretches due to a single-lane section and vehicle breakdowns.
Congestion was reported at Balinalla, Dewal, Nashri-Dalwas, and along the Marog-Kishtwari Pather stretch.
The situation worsened temporarily following the breakdown of two heavy vehicles, resulting in delays.
Authorities have advised commuters to check the latest traffic updates from Traffic Control Units (TCUs) in Srinagar, Ramban, and Jammu, and to follow official updates shared on the social media platforms of the J&K Traffic Police before embarking on their journey.
Passengers were urged to prefer daytime travel and avoid night journeys, especially on vulnerable stretches of the highway.
Officials cautioned that heavy vehicle movement between the Nashri and Navyug tunnels during night hours could cause inconvenience and further delays.
Drivers were also advised to maintain proper lane discipline, with warnings that overtaking and wrong-lane driving could lead to traffic jams and pose serious safety risks.
Meanwhile, the Kishtwar-Sinthantop-Anantnag National Highway was closed due to the accumulation of snow.
Authorities said that restoration work would commence once weather conditions improve.
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