The Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country for the third day today following closure of the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway due to heavy snowfall. Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying tourists and other passengers remained stranded on the national highway. A senior traffic police official said, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had pressed into service men and sophisticated machines to cut through the highway. He said, 20 snow clearance machines have been pressed into service at different places on the highway. However, fresh snowfall has hampered the operation. Vehicles carrying passengers and essentials for Kashmir valley are stranded at Jammu, Udhampur, Batote and Ramban. Similarly, vehicles carrying tourists and other passengers and trucks loaded with fruits are stranded in Srinagar, Awantipura, Anantnag and Qazigund. Sources said the stranded passengers were being provided essentials and wood for heating purpose.