Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 2: Kashmir valley was lashed by rains while hills experienced fresh snowfall today with the Divisional Administration issuing fresh avalanche warning for the hills of Kashmir.
The Valley was lashed by rains this afternoon after pleasant morning weather. The hills experienced fresh snowfall this afternoon making people to shiver.
The Divisional Administ-ration issued avalanche warning after the fresh snowfall and asked people in North Kashmir’s avalanche prone areas to be careful while making movements in these areas.
The Deputy Commissioner Kupwara today issued fresh avalanche warning valid for next 24 hours for higher reaches and avalanche-prone areas of the district. “Avalanche warning exists from March 2 to March 3, 2017 (1700 hours) for Keran, Karnah, Machil, Tanghdar, Budnamal, Jumgund Nowgam, Kumkadi, higher reaches of Kralpora area and other sloppy areas of the district”, he said.
He advised people residing in these areas to take necessary precaution while moving outside their homes and refrain from venturing outside during the night hours for their own safety.
A Meteorological Department official forecast rains and snowfall at isolated places across Kashmir tomorrow and said that weather will improve by Saturday.
In the meantime, hundreds of vehicles, particularly empty trucks and oil tankers, stranded at Qazigund and other places since February 27, left for Jammu this morning.
A Traffic official said that around 4500 vehicles including 2004 Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and 2414 Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) crossed Jawahar Tunnel towards Jammu till this evening. He said that despite bad weather highway is open and slides are being cleared by the Border Roads Organization frequently.
The official said that there will be one-way traffic on the National Highway from Jammu to Srinagar tomorrow subject to fair weather and clearance of Jammu bound traffic that left Srinagar this morning.
“Keeping in view the 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”, the official said.
“Subject to fair weather and good condition of road and clearance from Traffic Control Units, tomorrow, movement of traffic shall be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar in a regulated manner. Movement of LMVs/ passenger vehicles/ Tankers shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) from 0700 hours up to 1100 hours and from Udhampur up to 1200 hours only.
However, the movement of HMVs (excluding Trailers/ multi-axle vehicles) including convoys of Army, BSF, CRPF etc. shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) from 0730 hours up to 1130 hours and from Udhampur up to 1230 hours only. No movement of vehicles shall be allowed from the above TCPs after the prescribed cut off timing under any circumstances”, the official said.
He added that no movement of any vehicle will be allowed towards Srinagar to Jammu. “No movement of traffic including that of convoys of Army, BSF, CRPF etc. shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu side tomorrow under any circumstances to ensure hassle free movement of traffic”, he said.
The official advised the commuters not to park vehicles in any landslide, avalanche, vulnerable zones of NH 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”, he said.
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