Fresh snowfall in most parts of Kashmir disrupted flight operations at the Srinagar airport, officials said on Saturday.
There was fresh snowfall in the higher reaches as well as the plains, including in the summer capital Srinagar here, on Friday night, a meteorological department official said.
He said while there was light snowfall in the plains of Kashmir, the higher reaches received moderate snow.
The snowfall led to cancellation of flights and delays at the Srinagar airport.
“Few flights have been cancelled today because of bad weather, while most others have been delayed,” an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said.
He said there were chances of the operations normalising later in the day with some improvement in the weather.
Due to snowfall following flights are cancelled for today
Go Air G8 213 (SXR-IXJ), G8 697 (SXR-DEL)— SRINAGAR AIRPORT (@Aaisnrairport) January 19, 2019
Due to snowfall vistara UK611 (SXR-IXJ) flight is cancelled for today
— SRINAGAR AIRPORT (@Aaisnrairport) January 19, 2019
Due to snowfall following flights are cancelled for today:
Spicejet 161
Air Asia all flights
Go Air 129 (SXR to DEL)— SRINAGAR AIRPORT (@Aaisnrairport) January 19, 2019
The meteorological department has forecast widespread rain and snow over the state with heavy falls at isolated places from Saturday till Monday.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — the 40-day harshest winter period — when the chances of snowfall are high and the temperature drops considerably.
‘Chillai-Kalan’ ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold). (With inputs from PTI)