Srinagar, Feb 21 (UNI) The Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country today following closure of the 300-km-long Srinagar- Jammu national highway due to landslides and shooting of stones, triggered by heavy rains.

The entire Kashmir valley, including Drass, Kargil and Zanaskar are under the grip of severe cold following fresh snowfall while the plains, including Srinagar, have witnessed rainfall since this morning resulting in considerable drop in temperature.

A traffic police official said the highway was closed today due to landslides and shooting of stones at Penthal.

Hundreds of vehicles carrying passengers and essential commodities from Jammu to Srinagar were also stranded at different places on the highway.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway and the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, has pressed into service men and machine to make the traffic worthy again.

He said since one-way traffic was allowed on the highway for the past two months, today traffic from Jammu was allowed. However, no vehicle from Srinagar was allowed to leave today, he said.

The upper reaches in the Kashmir valley also experienced fresh snowfall since early this morning.

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