Page 36 - Jammu And Kashmir

Delhi shivers as dense fog blankets national capital; flights diverted

General visibility dropped to zero at 6 am on Friday, prompting authorities to implement measures for safe operations

Border areas, remote villages in Ladakh digitally connected: Army

Sustained efforts by the Army, in collaboration with telecom service providers, in the past five months has brought border areas and remote villages in Ladakh, including remote locations of Kargil and Siachen, on the digital connectivity map. In a post on X on Thursday, the Indian Army also shared a video of this journey and glimpses of the change it has brought to the lives of local people in the region. In its post captioned 'Indian Army for India's First Villages: Bringing Connectivity & Hope to Remote Areas', the Army said the border areas and remote villages in Ladakh were "devoid of 4G mobile connectivity" until June 2024. "This was depriving the local communities from being connected to the digital revolution in the nation. The Indian Army in collaboration with Bharti Airtel set out to ensure connectivity in these First Villages of India," it said. The Army further said the Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps "proactively engaged all the telecom service providers" and assisted ...

Weather update today: Freezing temperatures in J&K, AQI surges in Kolkata

The temperature dipped in Jammu and Kashmir as the minimum temperature went down -12.68 degrees Celsius with several regions witnessing snowfall

200 units free will be rolled out only after meters are installed: Omar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday announced that the state government will be able to provide 200 units of electricity for free to consumers only if meters are installed.He added that the scheme would likely be rolled out from March- April this year.The Chief Minister noted that the consumption of electricity in the state is more than the supply and J-K's Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT & C) losses are already high, nearly 50 per cent.CM Abdullah asserted that the power supply can be increased after under construction power projects in the territory gets completed.Addressing a press conference, CM Abdullah said, "200 units free will be rolled out only after the areas are metered. How else would you measure the units? When we roll out this scheme in March-April, all can benefit from this scheme.""The electricity load that we have is much more than what we are supplying. The sooner our power projects which are being constructed here finish, would be ..

Hope UT status temporary, Centre should restore statehood soon: Omar

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir's Union Territory status is a temporary phase and that the central government fulfils its promise of restoring its statehood. "It has been a little over two months since we came to power. It took us time to understand how the UT government works. We have been associated with the government earlier, but there is a vast difference between that form and the present form," Abdullah said at a media interaction at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here. The chief minister said the start of the new government has been "decent" and that they "did not find much difficulty" in it. "We are bound by our election promises. We have started the process of implementing some of the promises and for other promises, we need change in the system. I hope J-K being a UT is a temporary phase," Abdullah said. "We the people are now expecting that the promises made with us will be fulfilled. The biggest ...

J&K Police arrests 4 associates of JeM terrorist outfit from Pulwama

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday arrested four associates of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist outfit from Awantipora area of Pulwama district. "Police in Awantipora along with security forces have arrested four terrorist associates of proscribed terror outfit JeM in Tral area," a police spokesperson said. He said the arrested terrorist associates have been identified as Mudasir Ahmad Naik, Umar Nazir Sheikh, Inayat Firdoos and Salman Nazir Lone. The spokesperson said incriminating materials have been recovered from their possession. The arrested individuals were involved in providing logistics support and transportation of arms and ammunition to the active terrorists of proscribed terror outfit JeM in Tral and Awantipora areas, the spokesperson said.

Katra returns to normalcy after weeklong shutdown against ropeway project

Katra -- the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir -- resumed normal business activity on Wednesday after a week-long shutdown protesting a proposed ropeway project in the Trikuta hills of Reasi district. Eighteen people detained by police during the protests were also released, sparking overnight celebrations in the holy town. "All shops, restaurants, and business establishments reopened after a week-long closure due to the shutdown, while traffic movement was also restored, bringing much relief to the pilgrims," an official said. With the return of normalcy, hundreds of pilgrims thronged the holy town on the first day of the year to pay obeisance at the cave shrine, with long serpentine queues seen at the entry points in Katra and Bhawan. "We are very happy that the bandh has ended. It was causing huge inconvenience to us. We have come here to pay obeisance on the first day of the new year," Suresh Kadam, a resident of Pune, said. The

Pakistan's 2025 New Year's resolution: Rake up Kashmir again with UNSC role

Pakistan begins its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council today, the first day of the new year

18 protesters detained in stir against Katra ropeway project released

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday formed a four-member committee to hold talks with those protesting against the Katra ropeway project and announced that it has decided to release all those detained during protests. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar told reporters that the decisions were taken after holding detailed discussions with members of the civil society. "After the discussions, it was decided that all those detained will be released and the market will be reopened," he said. "Secondly, the work on the ropeway will remain suspended until the committee completes its discussions," he said. "A four-member committee has been formed by the lieutenant governor," Kumar said. Kumar and the CEO of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board are among the members of the committee. The divisional commissioner, flanked by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti leaders, said all issues will be discussed during the committee's meetings. "The shops will be reopened tonigh

Vaishno Devi Shrine records second highest number of pilgrims in decade

Efforts are underway to provide more facilities for the devotees and that the footfall in Katra will increase with the improvement in connectivity

Delhi shivers on New Year's Day as frigid winds intensify cold wave

The Delhi Weather Centre has warned of worsening cold wave conditions from Wednesday, with wind speeds between 20 and 30 km/h likely to lower temperatures further

Shutdown in Katra continues: Why are locals protesting the ropeway project

Authorities detained protestors for opposing the Rs 250 crore ropeway project in Katra, triggering hunger strikes

Protests continue in Katra against ropeway project in Trikuta hills

The health department officials conducted a full medical check-up of the youths continuing their hunger strike to press for the release of several persons detained during protests in Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi, with the holy town observing a shutdown for the seventh day on Tuesday against the proposed ropeway project in Trikuta hills of Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti called for the shutdown on Wednesday, announcing that all activities in Katra would remain suspended. All shops, restaurants and business establishments remained closed for the seventh day on Tuesday and traffic stayed off the roads in the holy town following the Samiti's call for protest. The shutdown has disrupted normal life in one of the busiest towns in the country, as thousands of pilgrims arrive daily to pay obeisance at the cave shrine. Eight youths are on a hunger strike, demanding the release of 18 members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh

J&K Cong seeks meeting with L-G to discuss Katra shutdown, detentions

Expressing concern over the "inhumane treatment" of detained leaders spearheading the agitation against the proposed ropeway in Katra, the Congress on Monday sought a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to discuss the situation. The shutdown against the proposed ropeway in the Trikuta hills of Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district entered its sixth day on Monday. Youth activists continued their hunger strike to demand the release of protesters detained by police on December 25. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti called for a shutdown on December 25, announcing that all activities in the district's Katra town -- the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi temple -- would remain suspended during this period. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board recently decided to move forward with a Rs 250-crore passenger ropeway project between Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat along the 12-kilometre track to the shrine after shelving the project in the past due to simila

North India struggles with cold wave, IMD warns of harsher conditions

Reduced visibility due to dense fog has already started disrupting road and rail traffic, adding to the challenges posed by plummeting temperatures

Kashmir's Gulmarg, Pahalgam face sub-zero temp amid slight dip in cold

Gulmarg and Pahalgam in Kashmir continued to experience severe subzero temperatures while the rest of the valley saw slight relief from the cold wave, officials said on Sunday. Gulmarg, a tourist resort town known for skiing activities in north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 8.0 degree Celsius, the Meteorological department said. The base camp for annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, Pahalgam, registered a minimum of minus 8.5 degree Celsius, the department said. In Srinagar the mercury dipped to minus 0.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday night -- two degrees above the normal temperature for this time of the year, it added. Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, logged a minimum temperature of minus 0.4 degree Celsius, while Konibal in Parampore recorded a low of minus 1.0 degree Celsius, the weather office said. Kupwara in north Kashmir registered minus 1.0 degrees Celsius while in south Kashmir, Kokernag recorded 1.8 degrees Celsius, the office said. Kashmir is currently under

Jammu-Srinagar highway reopens after day-long closure due to snowfall

The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar highway was on Sunday reopened for vehicular traffic after a day-long closure due to heavy snowfall, allowing stranded vehicles to proceed to their respective destinations, officials said. However, several other important inter-district routes, including the Mughal Road, Sinthan Pass, Sonamarg-Kargil inter-UT road, and Bhaderwah-Chamba inter-state road, remained closed for vehicular traffic due to heavy snowfall. "The highway has been reopened today following the clearance of snow accumulated on various stretches of the road," a traffic official said. The stranded vehicles along the highway are being cleared, he added. "Passenger traffic is plying on the highway. Commuters are advised to follow lane discipline, as overtaking may cause congestion," J-K Traffic Police said in an advisory. It also advised commuters to drive cautiously, as the road is slippery between Banihal and Qazigund. The Mughal Road, which serves as an alternative link to the Kashmir V

Delhi's air gets better after rainfall as temperature drops in North India

Delhi woke up to cloudy skies with scanty to no rainfall in parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) in the early hours of Sunday (December 29)

Indian Army evacuates tourists, locals stranded in Gulmarg snowfall

The Chinar Warriors corps of the Indian Army has responded to a distress call from civil administration to evacuate tourists stranded in Gulmarg district of the territory, said Chinar Corps on Saturday.The tourists and civilians were stranded due to unprecedented heavy snowfall in tourist destination Gulmarg and the subsequent closure of the road to Tanmarg.Responding to the call, the Army personnel evacuated 68 civilians, including 30 men and women each and eight children and provided meals, shelter and medication to 137 tourists.In a social media post on X, Chinar Corps, Indian Army wrote, "Chinar Warriors responded to a distress call from civil administration to evacuate tourists stranded due to unprecedented heavy snowfall in tourist destination of Gulmarg and the subsequent closure of the road to Tanmarg. Providing assistance in evacuation of 68 civilians including 30 ladies, 30 gentlemen and 8 children along with provisioning of hot meals, shelter & medication for a total .

2000 vehicles stuck in Anantnag, CM Omar Abdullah promises relief measures

Around 2,000 vehicles were stuck at Qazigund town in Jammu and Kashmir's (J-K) Anantnag following the valley's first snowfall of the season on Friday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said.CM Abdullah mentioned that he has spoken with the Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag about the current situation, adding that heavy vehicles are being allowed to move & efforts are on to clear the rest of the stranded vehicles."In a post on X on Friday night, CM Omar Abdullah said, "Just spoke to DC Anantnag about the current situation of the road between Qazigund & the tunnel. The icy conditions have caused traffic to back up. The stranded vehicles, in both directions, are slowly moving & where necessary being assisted."He added that DC was on the spot with his team. "I've instructed him to ensure that vehicles with families & children must be given priority.""If necessary arrangements for overnight shelter will be made. The DC is accompanied by an ambulance in case of any medical .