SRINAGAR, Dec 10: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg on Wednesday reviewed winter preparedness for vehicular traffic on the Srinagar-Sonmarg-Gumri (SSG) road and Zojila Pass, the vital link between Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories.
Garg directed Kargil and Ganderbal district administrations, SSP Rural Kashmir, BRO, and BEACON officials to coordinate closely for timely pass openings and closures based on weather and road conditions, in consultation with BRO and VIJAYAK. Current timings allow vehicles from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM on the Kargil side and 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM from Ganderbal.
He instructed Ganderbal authorities to arrange accommodation for stranded passengers during snowfalls or closures, while RTO Kashmir and SSP Rural must enforce fitness checks for vehicles and activate weighing bridges along the route. Garg emphasised compliance with traffic advisories, deployment of recovery cranes at Zojila, and MED support for BEACON with extra machinery.
The Health Department must ensure Sonmarg hospital operations and set up medical camps if required. A joint control room with Ganderbal administration, police, SDRF, CRPF, and others was ordered for emergency coordination, alongside adequate personnel deployment by SSP Traffic and SDRF.
For Kargil-side emergency vehicles, magisterial tracking permissions were mandated, and wireless sets were directed for nodal officers to enable real-time information flow. Attendees included DCs Ganderbal and Kargil, SSPs Ganderbal and Kargil, IMD, MED, PWD (R&B), RTO Kashmir, Sonamarg Development Authority CEO, NHIDCL executives, and BSNL/Jio
