Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 22: A day after chaos and massive traffic jams on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH), Director General of Police (DGP), Dr S P Vaid today attached three top traffic police officers for mismanagement.
The attached officers include Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic NH, Sanjay Kumar Kotwal, Deputy Superintendent of Police Traffic NH Banihal, Nihar Ranjan and Deputy Superintendent of Police Traffic Kulgam, Safdar Hamid Hassan Samoon.
A formal inquiry has been ordered to ascertain alleged dereliction of duty and casual attitude in maintaining traffic on National Highway by these officers that led to massive traffic jams on the highway particularly on Banihal-Qazigund stretch on 20th and 21st January. These officers shall remain attached with the office of the DIG South Kashmir Range till the inquiry is completed.
The SSP Ramban has been asked to look after the working of SSP Traffic NH while SDPO Banihal and SDPO Qazigund in addition to their own assignments have been asked to look after the charge of DySP Traffic NH Banihal and DySP Traffic Kulgam respectively till further orders.
Keeping in view the condition of the Highway, the Traffic Police today allowed limited passenger vehicles to ply from Srinagar to Jammu to avoid traffic jam. In the meantime, the National Highway is open for one-way traffic for Light Motor Vehicles from Jammu to Srinagar. A Traffic Police official said: “Keeping in view the weather forecast (prediction of rain/snowfall on 23.01.2017) 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 23.01.2017 movement of LMVs/ passenger vehicles only shall be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar side in a regulated manner. Movement of all such type of vehicles shall be allowed from Nagrota, Jammu from 0500 hours up to 0700 hours and from Udhampur up to 0900 hours only”, the official said.
“No movement of vehicles shall be allowed from the above TCPs beyond the prescribed cut off timings under any circumstances. No traffic movement including that of convoys of Army, BSF, CRPF etc. shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu side on 23.01.2017 under any circumstances”, the official said.
“Keeping in view the weather forecast (prediction of rain/ snowfall) commuters are requested/advised not to park their vehicles in any landslide/avalanche/vulnerable zones of NHW especially from Ramoo – 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 added.
The Meteorological department has forecast unprecedented snowfall and rainfall from January 24 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Director of Meteorological Department, Kashmir, Sonam Lotus said that from January 24 there will be a good spell of snowfall in Kashmir and heavy rainfall in Jammu region. “We are expecting a heavy snowfall from January 24 in Kashmir valley and rainfall for Jammu region, including Doda and Pir Panjal area,” he said.
The divisional administration of Kashmir, has issued fresh weather warning in Kashmir valley. The Deputy Commissioners’ have been asked to take all precautionary measures for the safety of people.
In the meantime, there was light snowfall in parts of Kashmir leading to improvement in night temperature. Srinagar recorded the minimum of minus 1.3 degree Celsius, Pahalgam in South Kashmir registered a low of minus 3.6 degree Celsius and Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6 degree Celsius.
Qazigund in South registered a low of minus 4.2 degree Celsius, while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 4.4 degree Celsius.
The mercury in Kupwara town in South Kashmir was minus 1.3 degree Celsius. Leh settled at a low of minus 8.6 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded 9.1 degree Celsius, Katra 9.9 degree Celsius, Banihal minus 1.6 degree Celsius, Bhaderwah 3.9 degree Celsius and Batote minus 1.5 degree Celsius as the minimum temperatures.
Srinagar recorded a maximum of 6.2 degree Celsius, Qazigund 6.3 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 3.6 degree Celsius, Kokernag 4.2 degree Celsius, Kupwara 4.9 degree Celsius, Gulmarg minus 1.5 degree Celsius and Leh 0.7 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded a maximum of 21.0 degree Celsius, Katra 20.2 degree Celsius, Banihal 11.5 degree Celsius, Batote 10.2 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 11 degree Celsius.
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