Srinagar-Leh national highway reopens

The Srinagar-Leh national highway was reopened for traffic today after remaining closed for two days due to landslides triggered by a cloudburst near Zojila pass.

“Vehicular traffic on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway has been restored after clearing the debris of landslides due to cloud burst between Sonamarg and Zojila on August 22,” a spokesman of the Traffic Department said.

The stranded vehicles were cleared from both Gumri and Sonamarg side before other vehicles were allowed this morning,the spokesman said.

The 434-kilometre arterial road connecting Leh to the rest of the state is vulnerable to landslides and shooting stones as the highway passes through treacherous mountains.