Jammu-Srinagar highway remains closed

Jammu, Jan 23 (IANS) The Jammu-Srinagar highway remained closed on Wednesday for the third consecutive day following an avalanche hitting the Jawahar Tunnel and a number of landslides in Ramban district over the past few days, a traffic official said.No vehicular movement would be allowed on the highway keeping the safety of travellers in mind, the senior traffic department official told IANS."The huge avalanche that hit the tunnel on the Qazigund side on Tuesday is yet to be cleared. "The avalanche could have caused a massive disaster had it hit the highway a few meters further north where all barracks of security forces and the tunnel's maintenance staff are located. Fortunately, no casualty was caused."The avalanche debris clearance operation will be started as soon as the weather improves, hopefully by today," he said. "Till that time, no vehicular movement will be allowed."In addition to the snow avalanche, landslides also hit the highway during the last two days at Digdol, Panthal and Khoni Nallah.The weather in Jammu and Kashmir improved on Wednesday morning after three days, the Met said.
--IANS sq/in