Heavy snowfall in Kashmir affects road, air connectivity

Road and air traffic between Kashmir and rest of the country was suspended on Wednesday due to heavy snowfall across the valley, officials said.

Of the 27 flights scheduled to arrive at the Srinagar Airport, 15 have been cancelled so far due to poor visibility and heavy snowfall, an official of the Airport Authority of India said.

He said if there is no improvement in the weather conditions, the possibility of other flights arriving was bleak.

The traffic control department said the arterial Srinagar-Jammu road had to be closed for vehicular traffic following snowfall and rains, which triggered landslides at several places.

"No vehicles are being allowed on the highway due to landslides caused by rain and snowfall," the official of the traffic department said.

He said a decision on resuming traffic will be taken only after debris of landslides is cleared and the weather improves.

Kashmir is witnessing a fresh spell of wet wether with higher reaches receiving heavy snowfall and plains lashed by a mix of rain and snow.