Jammu division on Friday witnessed cold weather conditions due to heavy downpour at all places. Around 600 passengers were stranded in Banihal and Ramban after vehicular traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was stopped.
Jammu Airportofficials told Greater Kashmir that 12 flights scheduled from Srinagar werecancelled due to the weather conditions. Other flights operated normallydespite heavy rains.
Traffic officialssaid 300 passengers travelling in 80 vehicles were stopped at Banihal when theywere heading for Srinagar from Jammu. Similarly, 25 Light Motor Vehicles werestopped at Ramban.
A total of 600passengers are stuck on the highway after snowfall lashed the highway townBanihal and its adjoining areas.
The strandedpassengers have been accommodated in shelters at Banihal and Ramban. Some ofthe stranded passengers have been accommodated in a building near RailwayStation Banihal.
Even as manystranded passengers have preferred staying in private hotels, the authoritieshave arranged community kitchens to provide free food to the passengers amidsevere cold conditions.
“The vehiculartraffic has been stopped on the highway. We are making arrangements. We aremonitoring the situation though some of the routes are closed, but we trying tore-open them. We are in contact with all the Deputy Commissioners in JammuDivision to review the situation repeatedly,” said Divisional CommissionerJammu, Sanjeev Verma.
The temperature hasdropped in Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi and all the districts of Jammu division asthe upper reaches have witnessed heavy snowfall and Jammu plains were lashedwith continuous rainfall.
The rivers acrossJammu have been flooded and the people have been advised by the authorities toavoid going close to the rivers.
Reports from Kathuadisclosed that Bani-Basohli road has been blocked due to snowfall andlandslides.
In Reasi district,Katra witnessed first snowfall of the season, chopper service has been stoppeddue to the weather conditions and low visibility.
Vehicular traffic onDoda-Kishtwar road has been stopped after landslides in some areas.Bhaderwah-Doda road remained blocked for hours. However Mechanical DepartmentDivision Khalleni has started snow clearance on internal link roads ofBhadarwah.
PIRPANCHAL REGION:
Traffic fromThanamandi to Surankote via DKG Road has been affected from last night. Rajourito Budhal-Kotranka road is also blocked.
The electricitysupply remained snapped in most of the villages in Pirpanchal and similar wasthe situation in urban areas where power played hide-and-seek.