Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 16: Authorities today re-opened Bandipora-Gurez road for traffic while efforts to re-open Srinagar-Leh National highway failed today due to massive avalanches near India Gate on Zojila Pass and the night temperatures across the State dipped after improvement in weather.
The Border Roads Organization (BRO) cleared snow from Bandipora-Gurez road and opened it for traffic. The road was closed for three days following heavy snowfall on Razdan Pass.
The BRO today continued snow clearance operation on Srinagar-Leh National highway but could not clear the massive avalanches that had struck near India Gate. However, the snow clearance operation will be completed tomorrow and there is possibility of re-opening of the National highway tomorrow afternoon.
Senior Superintendent of Police Traffic Rural, Muzafar Ahmed Shah, said that they were expecting that the snow clearance would be completed today but massive avalanches could not be cleared. “We are expecting to throw the road open tomorrow afternoon”, he said, adding that the stranded vehicles from Kargil side will be allowed to move first on priority.
And in the meantime time, minimum temperatures across Kashmir dropped today with Leh being the coldest at minus 8.1 degree Celsius and a MeT official said that dry spell will continue till November 21 and the minimum temperatures are likely to fall during this period.
The Ladakh region was the coldest recording the second lowest temperature as well, in Kargil at minus 6.6 degree Celsius, besides Leh. The day temperature of Kargil settled at 8 degree Celsius and Leh at 5.9 degree Celsius.
In the Valley, Gulmarg at minus 5.5 degree Celsius was the lowest, with 4.1 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam and Srinagar at 3.4 degree Celsius. The day temperatures of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar settled at 2.4 degree Celsius, 9.5 degree Celsius and 13.1 degree Celsius respectively.
In the Jammu region, Katra recorded 9.0 degree Celsius, Jammu was at 8.8 degree Celsius, Batote 4.1 degree Celsius, Banihal 5.4 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 2.4 degree Celsius as the night’s lowest temperatures. While day temperatures of Katra, Jammu, Batote, Banihal and Bhaderwah recorded at 22.1 degree, 25.4, 14.8, 14.8 and 14.3 degree Celsius respectively.
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