The Mughal Road connecting Kashmir with Poonch via southern Shopian district was closed for traffic following fresh snowfall along the thoroughfare on Sunday, even as the local meteorological department predicted rain and snow in Jammu and Kashmir for next three days.
Superintendent of traffic police (rural) Muzaffar Ahmad Shah told Greater Kashmir that Mughal Road was closed after fresh snowfall at Pir-ki-Gali and some other places.
“The re-opening of the road will depend on weather conditions on Monday,” he said. The Mughal Road was re-opened Friday after remaining closed for eight days following heavy snowfall on November 3.
Shah said the Srinagar-Jammu and Leh–Srinagar highways are open for traffic. “We are monitoring things because there is a weather advisory in place for next few days,” he said, adding that commuters should contact traffic control units before leaving for their destinations on Monday.
In view of accumulation of snow on both sides of Zojila Pass, only one-way traffic was allowed on the Srinagar-Kargil highway on Sunday, an official said.
The highway was thrown open for traffic Friday after eight days of its closure due to snowfall.
However, traffic authorities said that vehicular movement on Srinagar-Kargil highway will be allowed “from both sides as per the given timings.”
“Tomorrow (12 November) stranded passenger and HMVs will be allowed to move from Sonamarg towards Minamarg in the forenoon. In the afternoon, passenger vehicles and then HMVs will be allowed from Minamarg towards Sonamarg,” IGP traffic BasantRath wrote on his Twitter handle.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department officials said there is a possibility of light to moderate or widespread rain and snow from Monday morning.
“The spell is likely to be less severe than the one witnessed on November 3,” an official said, adding that the overnight partial cloud cover led to improvement of temperatures in the state.
The maximum temperature recorded in Srinagar was 3.6 degrees Celsius, he said.
The November 3 snowfall caused a huge damage to orchards in Kashmir and also disrupted the air and surface traffic. It also led to snapping of electricity across the Valley.
CHIEF SECRETARY REVIEWS WINTER PREPAREDNESS
The chief secretary B V R Subrahmanyam Sunday reviewed winter preparedness of different departments on directions of the Governor Satya Pal Malik, an official spokesman said Sunday.
Subrahmanyam held an extensive review with divisional and district administrations of Kashmir division, here, and impressed upon the concerned departments and agencies to “work 24×7 to ensure that people are provided all basic necessities, in particular power, water, essential commodities and petroleum products during the winter months without any interruption.”
The chief secretary directed the divisional commissioner Kashmir and deputy commissioners of the Kashmir division to “remain alive to the weather prediction for next week and ensure that the action plan for restoration of basic services is in place in advance with role clarity for convenience of the people.” Conveying “appreciation” of the Governor to the concerned departments, divisional and district administrations for their “untiring” efforts in restoration of various services post-snowfall, the chief secretary stressed upon identifying the gaps, if any, noted during the restoration work (after November 3-4 snowfall) and devise appropriate strategy to tackle these in future, the spokesman said.
The chief secretary expressed “deep anguish” over the inconvenience to the people on account of extensive damage to four transmission towers due to which power supply in certain areas was badly affected, the spokesman said, adding: “He asked divisional commissioner Kashmir to have the matter related to damage to these towers examined critically and lapses if any identified and a report furnished to the government.”
The chief secretary directed the Power department to check that transmission towers, power lines and poles are in good condition and trees closer to power lines are pruned. “The PDD was further asked to keep in readiness a well conceived ‘zone-wise restoration plan’ in the event of snowfall or breakdown of power supply. It was also asked to ensure that sufficient quantity of required material including oil for gensets be stocked in snow-bound areas like Gurez and Ladakh during winters,” the spokesman said.
The administration was also asked to ensure that major, secondary and residential roads are kept open for traffic in the event of snowfall, while the district administrations were directed to keep ‘zone-wise snow clearance plans’ ready.
“15 snow-ploughing machines and 22 bulldozers are being procured and will be provided to snow-prone districts soon to quickly and effectively deal with closure of roads during snowfall. The deputy commissioners were asked to spare the services of engineers of mechanical engineering wing for the restoration work in the event of heavy snowfall,” the spokesman said.