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Officials say lifeline to Ladakh will open by mid-June

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Despite continuing artillery exchanges in Kargil and Drass sectors the state government announced here that the all important Srinagar-Leh highway will be reopened for vehicular traffic by middle of June.

This was decided at a high level meeting of civil and army officers presided by the Jammu and Kashmir Transport Minister Bashir Ahmad Kitchloo.

Talking to Rediff On the NeT Kitchloo said it has been decided that stocking of food grain and other essential commodities in Kargil, Drass and Leh will be completed by the second week of August in view of the prevailing situation.

He said both army and civil authorities who attended the meeting assured that the road will be fit for vehicular movement next month.

Earlier the road used to be reopened in first week of June. However, this year due to heavy snowfall and un-interrupted shelling in Drass and Kargil the highway could not be cleared earlier.

Kitchloo denied reports that there was acute shortage of essential materials at Kargil. He said that there were sufficient stocks available both at Kargil and Leh districts to meet the requirement of the people till fresh supplies reach the Ladakh region.

In the meeting it was suggested that a tunnel be constructed at Zojila to ensure round the year traffic on this highway. The meeting, Kitchloo revealed, also formulated a disaster management plan to deal with any emergency that may arise.

Meanwhile, a defence spokesman here said that army operations at Drass and Kargil were continuing and admitted that heavy exchange of artillery fire was also reported.

Sources said that some shells hit the outskirts of Drass and Kargil today. The army has been effectively returning the fire and was confident that the intruders would be neutralised.

Reinforcements rushed from here have reached Kargil and Drass and security in the areas near LoC has been further tightened.

At least one civilian bystander was killed and 47 others injured when a powerful bomb exploded in a crowded market at Baramullah in north Kashmir late this afternoon. Police sources said the bomb went off among a group of people enjoying a snake charmer's show.

Senior police and security forces officers rushed to the spot. The injured were shifted to the hospital at Baramullah where one girl succumbed to her injuries.

The area was cordoned off and searches were conducted. Some of the injured were shifted to Srinagar.

In another incident militants at village Lankasheshan Kupwara opened fire on Nazir Ahmad Wani, block president of the National Conference, killing him on the spot.

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