The entire Ladakh region including Leh received season’s first snowfall on Thursday disrupting normal life slightly.
Sources said that the traffic was affected as the roads became slippery due to snow. The minimum temperature recorded in the region was minus 7 degrees Celsius. However, the vehicular movement thickened as the day progressed.
A number of roads to far flung and remote areas besides Khardungla were closed due to accumulation of snow.
The region remained cut off after the national highway connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir valley was closed for traffic due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions, including Zojila pass Meenmarg.
Drass, the coldest place in the world after Siberia, Meenmarg and other places in Kargil also received fresh snowfall.
According to the reports, Leh received 2-inch deep snow, Kargil 3-inch, Drass and Gumri around 2 feet and Zojila pass on Srinagar-Kargil highway around 4 feet.
Meanwhile, the personnel of project Vijayak and Beacon of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Thursday braving the harsh conditions started the snow clearance work on the Srinagar-Kargil highway to make it motorable.
The highway was shut on Tuesday after fresh snowfall in upper reaches including Zojila pass and Drass.
A BRO official said that several snow avalanches occurred along the highway.