Kashmir on Friday received season’s third major snowfall throwing normal life out of gear and causing suspension of both surface and air traffic. Meteorological Department has said that the present western disturbance over Jammu and Kashmir was going to last till Sunday.
“Widespread rain,snowfall is likely on Saturday in parts of Kashmir. Spell of rain/snowfall isexpected at isolated places on Sunday also,” said a MeT official.
The 270-kilometerSrinagar-Jammu National Highway remained closed for traffic on Friday while all25 flights at the Srinagar Airport were cancelled for seventh consecutive day.The Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed on Thursday afternoon after Banihal,Batote, Ramban witnessed heavy snowfall.
Train service on the80-kilometer Srinagar-Banihal stretch also remained suspended on Friday due topresence of snow on tracks, said a railway official. However, train serviceoperated normally on the Srinagar-Baramulla stretch, he said.
Most of the higherreaches received moderate to heavy snowfall since Thursday, while there was anincrease in snowfall activity on Friday. It started snowing in the plains onThursday night but the intensity picked up by Friday morning.
The MeteorologicalDepartment has predicted that ongoing wet spell in Jammu and Kashmir willcontinue till Sunday. “Fairly widespread rain/snow in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakhis expected to continue till December 15,” said the weekly weather forecastissued by IMD.
HEAVY SNOWFALL IN SOUTH KASHMIR:
Parts of south Kashmir,especially Shopian and its upper reaches including Pir Ki Galli, and areas ofKulgam received almost 2–3 feet snowfall since Thursday afternoon. Pahalgam,Kokernag and Qazigund received almost 2 feet snow.
Locals from varioussouth Kashmir areas said snow clearance on most of the roads, including thoseleading to hospitals and offices was slow. Residents said presence of snow onroads affected movement of vehicular transport. “Snow in main Anantnag town andparts of National Highway was not cleared at several places due to whichtraffic movement remained affected. If this is the scenario in towns what wouldbe the fate of villages,” said a local from Anantnag.
However, DivisionalCommissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan, told Greater Kashmir that 154 snowclearance machines of the Mechanical Engineering department and 400 snowclearance machines belonging to the Works Department were pressed into serviceto clear the snow from roads.
Power supply inseveral parts of south Kashmir also remained disconnected since Thursday due tothe heavy snowfall. Chief Engineer, Power Department, Aijaz Ahmad Dar toldGreater Kashmir that 60 per cent power supply was restored in Anantnag town. Hesaid restoration process in Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam could take one more dayas damage to power infrastructure in these parts due to the snowfall was more.
“The 11 KV line inShopian has been damaged for which restoration work is on. We hope if weatherremains stable, we can restore maximum supply in Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam ina day or so,” said Dar.
MODERATE SNOWFALL IN NORTH KASHMIR TOWNS, HEAVY AT HIGHER REACHES:
Several areas innorth Kashmir witnessed moderate to heavy snowfall on Friday. The plainsreceived moderate snowfall while upper reaches of Bandipora and Kupwararecorded heavy snowfall.
Officials said thatKeran Karnah, Tanghdar and Gurez areas of Kupwara and Bandipora districts whichare already cut off from rest of the valley recorded heavy snowfall on Friday.
“The Gurez area ofBandipora district recorded 1.5 foot fresh snowfall while Keran, Karnah andTanghdar of Kupwara district received over one foot fresh snowfall,” said SonamLotus, Director MeT.
In Baramulladistrict, the picturesque Gulmarg tourist resort received over one footsnowfall while Affarvat recorded two feet snow.
ALL FLIGHTS CANCELLED FOR 7TH CONSECUTIVE DAY:
For the seventhconsecutive day, all 25 flights at Srinagar Airport were cancelled due toinclement weather. Director, Airports Authority of India, Srinagar, SantoshDhoke said poor runway visibility and snow on runway forced cancellation offlights.
“Two hi-tech snowclearance machines have been operational at the apron area where aircrafts areparked. Snow clearance was also done on runway in regular intervals. But poorvisibility and continuous snowfall till afternoon disrupted flight operationsagain today,” said Dhoke.
As many as 196flights have been cancelled at the airport in last seven days, causing hugeinconvenience to travellers. Dhoke said MeT prediction for the wet spell tocontinue till Sunday was a major challenge for flight operations.
HIGHWAY CLOSED FOR TRAFFIC:
The 270-kilometerSrinagar-Jammu National Highway which was closed on Thursday due to freshsnowfall remained suspended for traffic on Friday also. Speaking to GreaterKashmir, Superintendent of Police, Traffic (Rural) Muzaffar Ahmad Shah said theroad remained closed due to fresh landslides and uprooted trees at Ramban,Digdol and various other parts.
“Fresh landslidesdue to rain and snowfall have been reported from Digdol, Ramban and otherparts. This is a main hurdle in the road clearance process ,” said Shah.Hundreds of vehicles, mainly trucks remain stranded on the highway sinceThursday afternoon when the road was closed.
Srinagar-LehNational Highway and Mughal Road – connecting south Kashmir’s Shopian districtto Pir Panchal – also remain closed for traffic.
(With inputs from Altaf Baba, Khalid Gul)