Srinagar, Oct 16 (UNI) Traffic was on Friday suspended on 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway for maintenance of the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country a senior Traffic police official said.

However, the 86-km-long historic Mughal road and Srinagar-Leh national highway are through for traffic, he said.

Security forces are also advised to follow the traffic advisory and not to ply any vehicle on Friday, an official told UNI.

He said that in connection with the maintenance of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, no vehicular movement will be allowed on every Friday from today till November 30, 2020. However, people should follow routine traffic advisory on other days. Even security forces are advised not to ply against traffic advisory plan, he said.

The highway witnessed frequent closure due to landslides and shooting stones, leading to a sharp rise in the prices of essentials, particularly vegetables in the Kashmir valley.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has recently directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and other agencies to make sure the highway remains open without frequent disturbance.

However, people of the affected areas, particularly between Banihal to Ramban alleged that since the agencies have started work on four-way, traffic movement witnessed the frequent disturbance.

He said the Mughal road, connecting Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region was through for traffic.

However, vehicles had to ply from 1100 hrs to 1600 hrs only on the road which is seen as an alternative to Srinagar-Jammu highway.

The national highway, connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir was also through for traffic, he said.

UNI BAS RHK1041