Srinagar: Commuters faced a tough time to venture out on roads due to slippery conditions following snowfall in the summer capital.
Except for some medicine and provisional stores, shops across the city remained shut. A couple of clothes and shoe sellers however, were also seen open in Lal Chowk area.
Public transport maneuvered scarcely and commuters in numbers were seen asking private vehicles for a lift, who, in-view of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speech at SK Stadium were also seen few in numbers.
With water accumulated in and around many dilapidated patches near several places including Barbar Shah, Natipora, Zaldgar, the drivers had a tough time while driving through these areas.
The most difficult terrain was near Nowgam chowk where due to construction of a flyover, snow mixed with mud and water in the potholes making the road slippery and difficult to tread through.
Several people waiting for transport near Pantha Chowk had wrapped Bharat Jodo Yatra banners over their heads to protect themselves from the snow.
As the intensity of snowfall increased in the late afternoon, the visibility along the bypass remained low.
A JCB clearing snow had broken down near Budshah bridge, resulting in small traffic snarls in the area.
A couple of bikers skidded and fell near Maisuma but received a quick helping hand from the locals who rushed to pick the motorists up.
Migrant labourers and tourists were seen enjoying snowfall and making video calls to their families back home in excitement.
Stray dogs near Lal Chowk, were sniffing food in almost every corner of the city centre, except Gole Market at Karan Nagar where a tuition going girl was feeding the canines.
Many inner lanes including Ali Kadal in the old city and Mandir Bagh in the city centre remained accumulated with snow where snow-clearing machines only made round in the morning, residents said.
The busy Bohri Kadal, Karan Nagar, Habba Kadal, Amira Kadal and Gaw Kadal areas wore a deserted look. There were however, many vendors selling snacks in the areas.
Apart from those, vegetable vendors were in sight too, who amid snowfall had gathered around a fire to warm themselves near the Khankah area of downtown.
The snowfall in Srinagar stopped around 6:00 pm, turning the evening radiant.
