Fresh snowfall disrupts life in Kashmir Valley

After nightlong intermittent snowfall, the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday remained cut off from the rest of the country as road, rail and air traffic got disrupted.

Strategic Srinagar-Jammu national highway has been closed due to heavy snowfall in Bannihal and Patnitop sectors of the over 300 km long road.

No flights operated to and from Srinagar international airport due to poor visibility in the morning.

Accumulation of fresh snow on rail tracks forced suspension of Baramulla-Bannihal rail service on Wednesday.

Transport service between Srinagar and other district headquarters was also disrupted due to slippery roads and accumulation of snow.

Authorities moved out snow clearance machines here and other districts even though road connectivity between rural areas and towns remained suspended.

Due to closure of the highway, which is the lifeline of essential supplies to the landlocked valley, people have started complaining about shortage of cooking gas.

Authorities have however denied any shortage. According to them, sufficient stocks of cooking gas, kerosene and other petroleum products are available in the valley.

Srinagar city has received nine cm snow during the last 24 hours till Wednesday morning, while Gulmarg and Pahalgam received 24 and 19 cm snow respectively.

The weather office has forecast moderate rain and snow in Jammu and Kashmir till Thursday.

"Tuesday's maximum temperature was 0.4 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature was minus 2.5 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on Wednesday.

"The minimum temperature was minus 4 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam and minus 9 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg.

"It was minus 13.1 degrees Celsius in Leh town of Ladakh region, which was the coldest town in the state on Wednesday.

"Jammu city had 7.9, Katra town 6.5, Batote minus 1.5, Bannihal minus 2 degrees Celsius and Bhaderwah witnessed minus 1.5 degrees Celsius as the night's lowest temperature," a Met official said.

--IANS

sq/py/