Srinagar, Jan 28 (UNI) The Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country as the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed for the fifth day today due to snow avalanche and landslides. Hundreds of vehicles, mostly trucks and oil tankers remained stranded for the past about a week at different places on the highway. Closure of the highway has resulted in acute shortage of essential commodities, particularly fresh vegetables in the Kashmir valley. There were landslies at Chamanwar, Sher Bibi and Digdol damaging several km of road. However, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintenance of the highway has put into service sophisticated machines and men to clear the snow and landslide. There was huge snow on the road at Shaitan Nallah, a BRO official said, adding snow clearance operation was going on a war footing. 'We have been able to put through one-way traffic between from Qazigund upto Banihal after clearing the snow, he said, adding efforts are being made to make it two-way. However, he said, massive operation was going on to clear landslides on other side of the Banihal. The weather was dry during the past two days which facilitated the snow clearance operation, though there was threat of landslides. However, a traffic police official said that traffic on the highway will be resumed only once a green signal is received from BRO and Traffic police officials posted at different places. Only stranded vehicles will be allowed before allowing fresh traffic on the highway. MORE UNI BAS SV SB 1002