Fresh snowfall in Chenab Valley closes major highways

Fresh snowfall in Chenab Valley on Friday forced the closure of Batote-Kishtwar and Pul-Doda – Bhadarwah highways.

A senior traffic department official said the fresh snowfall occurred in Nashri and Batote areas of the nearly 110-km long Batote-Kishtwar highway and Bhalla to Bhaderwah areas of 226-km long Doda-Basholi highway during the intervening night of Thursday-Friday.

   

The official said around one foot snow accumulated on the road from Nashri Tunnel to Batote and 1.5 ft at Bhaderwah on the Pul Doda-Bhadarwah highway and it was still snowing in the area.

Zuhaib Hassan, DySP Traffic Batote-Kishtwar sector confirmed the suspension of traffic on the stretches.

“Road clearance operation would be started immediately after the snowfall stops. Those who intend to travel are advised not to undertake the journey before contacting our control rooms in Srinagar, Doda and Jammu,” he said.

The traffic on all the major link roads including Thathri-Gandoh, Bhadarwah-Chinchora, Bhadarwah-Thanhala, Kishtwar-Chatroo, Doda-Marmat, Doda-Dessa, Doda–Gundana and Bhadarwah-Mathola was also suspended.

The local Meteorological department at Bhadarwah has forecast fair weather from Saturday afternoon.

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