Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
The Srinagar–Sonamarg–Gumri (SSG) Road was reopened to traffic on Friday after landslides and debris at several locations, including Zojila, Ranga Morh and Minamarg, were cleared, officials said.
The road was temporarily closed following an intense cloudburst that struck the Ranga Morh and Sarbal areas of Sonamarg on Thursday evening, triggering a major mudslide and a sudden rise in water levels in nearby rivers and streams.
The heavy flow of water swept large quantities of mud, rocks and other debris onto the highway, disrupting traffic and forcing authorities to suspend movement on the Srinagar–Leh route as a precautionary measure.
Following the disruption, the Traffic Police, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and local police launched a coordinated clearance operation. Officials said the affected stretches were cleared overnight, allowing traffic to resume.
Vehicles that had been stranded along the highway due to the landslides were also safely evacuated, officials said.
Traffic will now be regulated in accordance with the prescribed advisory and subject to necessary clearance from the concerned authorities.
Officials, however, advised motorists to exercise extreme caution while travelling through vulnerable stretches of the SSG Road, particularly in view of the possibility of further rainfall, landslides and falling debris.
Commuters have also been urged to strictly follow traffic advisories and instructions issued by the Traffic Police and other agencies, and to avoid unnecessary stops at landslide- and shooting-stone-prone locations.
The latest disruption once again highlights the vulnerability of the Srinagar–Leh highway to extreme weather events, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall and cloudbursts in the higher reaches.
