Srinagar: Amid Metrological department forecast for snowfall in coming days, Jammu and Kashmir administration has directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) of Kashmir division to ensure people do not suffer due to blockade of roads post snow accumulation.
“All the Deputy Commissioners shall ensure that no death shall happen due to the blockade of road in view of snow accumulation and also no fire incident will happen due to the road blockade,” reads a note of the minutes of the meeting chaired by Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan.
“All road clearing departments/agencies viz Roads and Buildings, PMGSY, MED, BRO, NHA, NHIDCL have been directed to keep their men and machinery ready. They have been asked to put in place a comprehensive snow clearance Action Plan while taking into account the weather forecast,” it reads.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation which under 74th Amendment where handed over control of several link roads in Srinagar has also been asked to ensure clearance of snow.
“SMC shall be ready for snow clearance of roads transferred from the Roads and Buildings department in addition to the roads, lanes, by lanes mechanically and manually. Moreover, SMC shall explore the possibility of procuring small machines which can undertake snow clearance of inner lands in addition to already procured machinery.
The divisional administration has devised a snow clearance plan for 17,000 kilometers of road length in the Kashmir division,” reads a note of the minutes.
In the Union Territory of J&K, Kashmir region witnessed a heavy snowfall during winter months often leading to closure of roads and halting traffic movement.
The government in order to be better prepared this time around has devised a plan ahead.
A senior government official said the Administrative council under chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha earlier this year has stressed officials to keep snow clearance plans ready to ensure hassle free movement of people post snowfall.
Major portion of road length in Kashmir falls under the jurisdiction of Roads and Building department and Mechanical Engineering Department.
Officials informed that R&B and MED have already submitted a snow clearance plan before the divisional Kashmir administration.
“CE MED has informed that the whole Kashmir division where 211 number of machinery has been distributed judiciously. Further, it has been informed that in order to cope with the deficiency of drivers in the department, recruitment has been recently made through SSRB and the orders of appointment- in their favour is expected within shortest time, newly recruited drivers shall be given training about the machinery well in advance. SRTC shall be approached for the deputation of drivers, preferably those drivers who were on the job in the recent past years.”
“It was also informed that SMC has recently transferred 1400 roads for snow clearance under the 74th amendment. Besides, 1143 roads “will be mechanically cleaned and 5661 roads will be cleared manually. Snow clearance will be done by 2900 SMC workers /staff and by machinery. Tendering for snow clearance has been already cleared,” official document reads.