Srinagar, Jan 30: The 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was again closed today due to heavy snowfall and landslides cutting off the Kashmir Valley from the rest of the country. A traffic police official said here that the highway was closed for traffic last evening following more than one feet of fresh snowfall making the road slippery in Banihal and Jawahar tunnel area, highest point on the highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
He said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) responsible for the maintenance of the highway have pressed into service man and machinery to clear the road before the Eid festival.
Meanwhile, hundreds of vehicles, including some passenger buses are stranded on either side of the highway.
The road closure has resulted in price rise in the valley. However, the divisional authorities have formed a flying squad to keep the prices of essential commodities under check in view of the Eid festival.
About 80 people from Gurez demonstrated at a helipad in protest against the authorities failure to provide them helicopter service from here to Gurez which remained cut off due to heavy snowfall.
''Despite paying full amount, the authorities failed to provide us helicopter service from here," they said.
The divisional authorities have made announcements that all the passengers will be taken to Gurez by helicopter so that they could celebrate Eid festival with their families. Bureau Report