Temperatures still in sub-zero zone

Kashmir continues to be in sub-zero night temperatures with Srinagar recording minus 2.4 degrees Celsius on Monday night. A day earlier, the temperature in Srinagar had plummeted to minus 5.2 degrees Celsius.

The sub-zero temperatures for the last two weeks have been leading to freezing of water bodies including parts of Dal Lake and water supply lines. The Meteorological Department has predicted the cold wave and dry weather to continue till the end of this month.

   

Meanwhile, the ski-resort Gulmarg in Baramulla continued to witness freezing temperature and recorded minus 11.5 degrees Celsius on Monday night, making it the coldest recorded station of the Valley, MeT data said.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded minus 7.1 degrees while Qazigund recorded minus 2.8 degrees on Monday night.

Kashmir is witnessing the last week of the 40-day harshest winter period of Chilai Kalan, which started on December 21 and will conclude on January 31.

Meanwhile, a fall in day temperatures was recorded on Tuesday as Srinagar recorded 5.2 degrees maximum temperature while Gulmarg recorded minus 4 degrees Celsius maximum temperature. Pahalgam recorded 1.6 degrees Celsius maximum temperature on Tuesday.

Traffic on highway:

The 270-kilometre Srinagar-Jammu National Highway will remain open for 1-way traffic from Srinagar on Wednesday, a Traffic Department advisory said.

“Subject to fair weather and better conditions of the road, only one-way traffic shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu including Banihal-Ramban (local traffic)” the advisory said.  “No vehicle including livestock, perishables shall be allowed in the opposite direction.”

It may be recalled that traffic had remained suspended on the highway for almost one week after the retaining wall of a bridge at Kelamorh near Ramban had collapsed. However, later a Bailey bridge installed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had helped to restore traffic on the highway. “The weight bearing capacity of the installed bailey bridge is less than 40 metric ton” the Traffic advisory said. Mughal road which connects the Valley with Pir Panchal region and the Srinagar-Leh Highway remains closed due to the accumulation of snow.  The Srinagar-Leh highway was officially closed after the orders from Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole on December 30.

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