Srinagar: The National Highway, connecting Srinagar with Kargil through Zojila Pass, will remain shut for traffic from January 11 to 13, officials said on Thursday.
Although the Traffic Police, the icy conditions in Ladakh require maintenance work and hence the National Highway will remain closed. But as reported by ETV Bharat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling to Kashmir for the inauguration of the strategic Z-Morh tunnel.
“Keeping in view the inclement weather conditions and scheduled road maintenance, commuters/ passengers are advised to restrict their journeys till "GREEN" signal from the concerned road maintaining agencies in order to avoid inconvenience as well as any untoward incident while travelling,” traffic police said.
Sitting at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the Z-Morh tunnel spanning over 6.5 kilometers will take 15 minutes to cross the zig-zag snow avalanche-prone stretch on the Srinagar-Leh highway in Ganderbal. It is the 'first step' alongside the adjoining under-construction Zoji-La Tunnel towards making the coldest Ladakh the all-weather destination. The coldest desert remains closed for winter months with temperatures nosediving to minus 30 on the highest pass Zoji La on the highway.
The tunnel would be significant as it will allow smooth and quicker logistical military support to security forces stationed along the Line of Control as well as Line of Actual Control.
