Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 23: Meteorological Department today forecasted widespread snowfall for three consecutive days from tomorrow across Kashmir and rains in Jammu and Traffic Police have advised people to avoid travelling on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in case of bad weather.
The MeT Department warned moderate to heavy snowfall from tomorrow till Thursday and the forecast has prompted the divisional administration to issue directions for taking precautionary measures.
The Traffic Police said there would be only one way traffic on Srinagar-Jammu NH from Srinagar to Jammu. “Keeping in view the weather forecast (prediction of rain/snowfall) and condition of the road, especially between Udhampur -Ramsoo and Banihal to Levdora (Qazigund) coupled with narrow width of road at certain places, only one way movement of traffic is feasible/advisable on Srinagar- Jammu NH”.
“As such subject to fair weather and good condition of road tomorrow on 24.01.2017, movement of traffic shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu side in a regulated manner. Under this plan, movement of LMVs/passenger vehicles shall be allowed from Levdora from 0900 hours and all these vehicles shall cross Jawahar Tunnel by 1400 hours positively,” a traffic official said.
“Similarly, movement of load carriers (except trailers/multi-axle vehicles) shall be allowed from Levdora from 1000 hours and all these vehicles shall cross Jawahar Tunnel by 1500 hours positively. No movement of vehicles shall be allowed from Jawahar Tunnel towards Banihal beyond the prescribed cut off timings under any circumstances”, the official said.
He added: “No traffic movement including that of convoys of Army, BSF, CRPF etc. shall be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar side tomorrow under any circumstances.”
“Keeping in view the weather forecast (prediction of rain/ snowfall) commuters are requested/advised to ensure that vehicles are not parked in any landslide/avalanche/vulnerable zones of NHW especially from Ramsoo – Jawahar Tunnel – Levdora under any circumstances. All the vulnerable/avalanche prone zones should be kept free from any kind of traffic to avoid any eventuality”, the official said.
“People are requested not to undertake journey on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in case of bad weather. They should contact TCU Srinagar (01942450022, 2485386), TCU Ramban (9419993745) and TCU Jammu (01912459048) and officers of Traffic wing to get the status of the road before starting their journey,” the Traffic official said.
As Jammu-Srinagar NH is open for one-way traffic for Light Motor Vehicles, hundreds of Srinagar-bound truckers stranded along the Srinagar-Jammu highway today appealed to the Director General Police Dr SP Vaid to allow their vehicles to move towards Srinagar.
The truckers said: “We are stuck for at least last one week. We appeal the DGP to allow our vehicles also to move towards Srinagar. Our supplies are running short, we are spending our nights in subzero temperatures”.
In the meantime, the night temperature across the Valley, except Qazigund town, dipped last night with Srinagar registering a drop of nearly three degrees from the previous night’s low of minus 1.3 degree Celsius to settle at a low of minus 4.1 degree Celsius.
Qazigund in South registered a low of minus 3.6 degree Celsius, up from minus 4.2 degree Celsius yesterday. Pahalgam in South Kashmir registered a low of minus 7.2 degree, up from the previous night’s minus 3.6 degree Celsius.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 8.6 degrees, against minus 6.0 degree Celsius yesterday. The resort was the coldest recorded place in the Valley.
Kupwara, in North Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.6 degree Celsius, while the mercury in Kokernag town in south Kashmir dipped two degrees from the yesterday’s low of minus 4.4 degree to settle at a low of minus 6.4 degree Celsius.
Leh was the coldest recorded place in the State as the mercury there settled at a low of minus 8.7 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded 7.5 degree Celsius, Katra 8.9 degree Celsius, Banihal minus 0.1 degree Celsius, Bhaderwah minus 0.3 degree Celsius and Batote 3.0 degree Celsius as the minimum temperatures.
Srinagar recorded a maximum of 4.1 degree Celsius, Qazigund 5.0 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 3.2 degree Celsius, Kokernag 3.8 degree Celsius, Kupwara 4.5 degree Celsius, Gulmarg 0.8 degree Celsius and Leh 5.2 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded a maximum of 19.1 degree Celsius, Katra 17.9 degree Celsius, Banihal 11.4 degree Celsius, Batote 11 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 12 degree Celsius.
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