Srinagar, Feb 23: Officials on Wednesday said the vehicular movement on Srinagar-Jammu highway was hit following fresh snowfall near Jawahar tunnel.
“It is still snowing on both sides of the tunnel including Qazigund. Fresh snowfall has slowed down the traffic” the SSP Traffic Rural, G M Wadoo told Greater Kashmir.
“We are monitoring the situation and decision to keep the highway closed or open will be taken tomorrow,” he said.
The SSP asked Jammu bound passengers to contact on following helpline  numbers, 0194-2450022—0194-2485396 and 0194-2455164, on Thursday.
“I appeal the passengers not to leave Srinagar without verifying the status of the highway,” the SSP added.

RAINS, SNOW GRIP JK
 Meanwhile, the high altitude areas of Kashmir Wednesday experienced fresh snowfall while the plains, including Srinagar, were lashed by rains.
 The wet weather brought down the day temperature by 2 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature jumped above freezing point barring the ski resort of Gulmarg which was freezing at minus 6.6 deg C, a spokesman of the MeT office said.
 Kargil in frontier region of Ladakh was the coldest place with the night temperature settling at minus 15 deg C.
 The maximum temperature recorded in Srinagar was 6.8 deg C, two degrees below normal, he said.
 “We have got reports of snowfall from Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir and its peripheral areas,” the spokesman said, adding that about three centimetres of snow had accumulated at the hill resort.
 Snowfall started in the high altitude areas especially the Pir Panchal range late this afternoon, while rest of the Kashmir Valley was lashed by rains.
 The weatherman forecast light to moderate snow and rains during the next 6-days under the influence of western disturbance which hit the region today.
 “Light to moderate snowfall and rains is expected in the Valley, especially south Kashmir, at regular intervals till March 1,” the spokesman added.
 While the minimum temperature is expected to rise due to cloudy skies, the maximum temperature might further dip resulting in cold conditions, he added.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 IST