The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Srinagar-Kargil road is still blocked due to snow accumulation. After the recent snowfall, there is a lot of snow accumulation on the road, especially on Zojila Pass.

About Kargil-Zanskar road, District Police Kargil has said that subject to fair weather and good road conditions/road clearance, only one-way traffic for all types of vehicles with anti-skid chains shall be allowed from Zanskar towards Kargil.

Police in its advisory have said that due to frost conditions and apprehensions of avalanches, especially in the afternoon, all passengers are advised to travel in the morning. Moreover, no vehicle shall be allowed to pass the Penzila axis without anti-skid chains.

SRINAGAR — The Srinagar-Kargil Highway has been shut down for traffic following a fresh snowfall that blanketed the Zojila Pass on Saturday. An official, while speaking to a local news agency, confirmed the closure, emphasizing the necessity to ensure the safety of travellers.

The decision to close the Srinagar-Kargil road was prompted by the fresh snow accumulation at Zojila, rendering the route unsafe for vehicular movement, as per the official's statement.

Reports indicate that numerous passenger vehicles and trucks are currently stationed at Sonamarg and on the Kargil side, awaiting authorization from the administration to resume their journeys.

The closure has inconvenienced many travellers, but authorities prioritize safety in adverse weather conditions, especially given the challenging terrain and the risk posed by heavy snowfall at the Zojila Pass.

Further updates regarding the reopening of the highway are expected following assessments by concerned authorities. Authorities urge travellers to exercise caution and monitor official communications for any developments regarding the reopening of the Srinagar-Kargil road for safe passage.

SRINAGAR — Another tourist injured in a road mishap along Zojila Pass has succumbed to his injuries, taking the overall toll in the accident to six.

An official said that a tourist who was undergoing treatment at SKIMS Soura succumbed to his injuries this morning. The official identified the deceased as Manoj (25), a resident of Kerala.

It is pertinent to mention here that a driver among five persons died after a vehicle, they were on board, rolled down into a gorge along Zojila Pass on December 5, 2023. In another accident on December 7, 2023, five more persons lost their lives along the road.

The Ganderbal administration has yesterday clamped restrictions on the movement of tourist vehicles along the treacherous pass.

GANDERBAL — Five local residents of Kargil area were killed after a Xylo vehicle, in which they were travelling, rolled down into a deep gorge on Zojila Pass in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Thursday, officials said.

An official told the news agency KNO that a Xylo vehicle bearing registration number JK07-0876 was on its way to Sonamarg from Kargil when it skidded off the road and fell into a gorge on Zojila Pass, in which five residents of Kargil died.

The deceased have been identified as Ab Hadi Balti, Mohd Amin Balti, Shabir Hussain, Mohd Hussain and Mohd Akbar—all residents of Kargil.

Pertinently, this is the second such incident in the last four days as four tourists from Kerala and a local driver were killed at the same spot after their vehicle fell into a deep gorge at Zojila Pass on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Sheikh Khalid Jehangir has appealed to the administration to close the road till the weather conditions improve. “Tragic !! It’s a death trap due to slippery conditions. To avoid casualties request @OfficeOfLGJandK to close down the road till weather permits,” Jehangir wrote on X.

SRINAGAR — At least five persons are feared to have lost their lives after a vehicle they were travelling in plunged into a gorge along Zoji La Pass in Ganderbal district.

A senior police officer said that a vehicle plying along the Pass fell down this afternoon.

"It is feared that five persons travelling in the vehicle have died in the incident," the officer said.

The persons, the officer said, are said to be belonging to Kargil.