The 434-Km Srinagar-Leh highway, lifeline of the Ladakh region and having an immense strategic importance, was thrown open for vehicular traffic on Sunday after remaining closed for nearly five months owing to heavy snowfall during winter.
Reports said hundreds of vehicles waiting for opening of the road at Sonmarg, 85 kms from Srinagar, were allowed to proceed towards Leh and Kargil on Sunday morning. About 600 vehicles proceeded towards the twin districts.
A police official told Deccan Herald that only light vehicles were allowed to proceed from Sonmarg for now and no heavy vehicle will be allowed till further orders.
“Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is on job and it will take more than a week to make the road functional for heavy vehicles,” he said.
The highway was closed for traffic in December last year after high altitude areas of the Valley including the 11,578-foot high Zojila Pass experienced heavy snowfall, which is a yearly occurence.
Published 11 May 2014, 20:26 IST