Snowfall disrupts normal life in Kashmir; Jammu-Srinagar highway remains closed for 5th day

SRINAGAR: Normal life across Kashmir remained affected for the fifth day on Thursday with the season’s first heavy snowfall disrupting power supply, road connectivity and drinking water supply.
While the Srinagar-Jammu highway continued to remain closed, air traffic resumed after four days.
Ironically, the Srinagar city roads have remained blocked for the last four days as the administration has failed to clear 34.7cm of accumulated snow.
The slippery city roads have also made daily life difficult for the locals. Several patients had difficulty reaching hospitals.

“Jammu-Srinagar highway is still blocked at Samrolli, Nashree, Cafeteria Morh, Seri, Marog and Jawahar Tunnel,” the traffic police said.
The highway has been closed at several other places also due to mudslide and landslides.
Around 4500 vehicles, mainly carrying supplies to the Valley, as well as passenger vehicles are stranded at several places along the highway.
Four feet of snow was recorded around Jawahar Tunnel due to heavy snowfall.

The authorities on Thursday declared that the national highway will be closed for two more days. No vehicular movement shall be allowed on Jammu-Srinagar highway from Jammu towards Srinagar and vice-versa in view of snow accumulation around the Jawahar Tunnel, landslides/shooting stones/mudslides at Samroli, Dalwas, Cafeteria Morh, Sitaram Passi, Bai Nallah, Digdol Army Camp, Magerkot, Gangroo, Salad.
A MeT official said that Srinagar received 34.7cm of snowfall in the last 24 hours till 8.30am, while Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded 33.7cm during the period.
Pahalgam, the famous tourist destination, and Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded 29cm and 17cm of fresh snowfall respectively, the MeT official said.
Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort, accumulated 28cm of fresh snowfall while Kupwara recorded 22cm of snowfall.
Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal and Budgam districts received almost the same snow depth as Srinagar even as higher reaches accumulated more snow.
Several roads in these areas are still blocked with snow. People from Kremshore, Budgam and adjoining areas have appealed to the authorities to clear the main road.
The heavy snowfall has also disrupted power supply in the valley. As per official figures, at least 223 feeders are still to be restored apart from several 33KV and 11KV lines. The snowfall has also led to severe disruptions in milk and vegetable supplies to parts of Srinagar and elsewhere.
According to chief engineer, Kashmir PHE, Iftihkhar Ahmad Wani, his department’s employees volunteered to trek to the higher reaches to restore water supply in 20 villages in Budgam area.
A team of nearly one dozen employees trekked to snowbound Khanchi village, 21 km from Yusmarg in chadoora, to reach water head site, Wani said.