Kashmir officials asked to ensure snow clearance on all roads

In the aftermath of moderate to heavy snowfall, the authorities in Kashmir Valley on Friday directed Mechanical Engineering department to ensure snow clearance on all the roads, especially those leading to important installations like hospitals and receiving stations.

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan also reviewed the electricity, water and ration supply, traffic movement and other essential services and passed strict instructions to the officers concerned to ensure prompt and hassle-free services to the public so that they do not face any inconvenience due to snowfall, an official spokesman said.

Snowfall ranging from five inches to over three feet has accumulated at various places in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the valley, which remained cut-off from the rest of the country following the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway for the second day and cancellation of all flights to and fro the Srinagar airport for the seventh day.

Khan conducted an extensive tour of Srinagar City to inspect snow clearance work, besides reviewing other essential services after which he passed the instructions.

He directed the officials of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to ensure snow clearance of all lanes and by-lanes, besides ensuring deployment of de-watering pumps at low-lying areas, in case of waterlogging, the spokesman said.

The Divisional Commissioner also visited G B Pant Children Hospital at Sonwar and reviewed healthcare and other facilities being provided to the patients, the spokesman said.