Vehicles stranded again on Gurez–Bandipora road; 60 rescued

Bandipora, Apr 18: Nearly 60 commuters were rescued on Friday evening after their vehicles got stranded due to snowfall on the Gurez–Bandipora road near Razdan Pass, raising fresh concerns despite recent assurances of stricter traffic regulation.

The rescue operation was carried out jointly by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) after weather conditions deteriorated suddenly along the high-altitude route.

Officials said around 57 vehicles, carrying locals as well as tourists, were caught on the road after intermittent rain turned into adverse weather conditions.

“There was light drizzle at intervals and traffic was allowed from Gurez towards Bandipora. However, the weather worsened, and vehicles that had already left got stranded,” said Mukhtar Ahmad, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Gurez.

He added that the slow movement of tourist vehicles further contributed to the congestion. “SUVs manage to move, but smaller tourist cabs often get stuck, bringing traffic to a halt,” he said.

The incident comes weeks after a similar rescue operation earlier this month, when 38 commuters had to be evacuated following snowfall. At the time, authorities had assured strict enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent recurrence. Officials said another smaller rescue operation had also been conducted prior to that.

Traffic on the route is regulated through designated Traffic Control Points (TCPs), with daily cut-off timings enforced at key locations such as Pethkoot and Kanzalwan. Authorities also mandate the use of anti-skid chains. However, officials said non-compliance remains a major concern.

“Most drivers do not adhere to advisories, making movement difficult during sudden weather changes,” the SDM said, attributing the latest incident partly to a casual approach by commuters.

Officials said traffic from the Bandipora side was halted once conditions worsened, but several vehicles had already crossed checkpoints before the closure announcement.

The administration has been allowing traffic in phases—either one-way or two-way—depending on weather and road conditions. However, authorities have reiterated that the Razdan Pass stretch remains highly vulnerable to sudden weather changes, including snowfall and strong winds.

Advising caution, officials said tourists planning to visit Gurez should ideally schedule their travel for May, when conditions are more stable.

Meanwhile, authorities have announced that traffic on the road will remain suspended on Sunday (April 19), with a decision on reopening to be taken based on weather conditions.

A BRO official noted that frequent snowfall, gusty winds and rapidly changing weather at Razdan Pass continue to pose significant challenges to both traffic movement and road clearance operations.