Many flights cancelled
Gopal Sharma / Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Feb 6: The Jammu –Srinagar National Highway was again closed after rain, fresh snowfall and landslides in Jawahar Tunnel area and Ramban last night while several flights at Jammu and Srinagar airports were cancelled today due to snowfall, bad weather and poor visibility.
Rains in entire State and snowfall at higher reaches lashed since last evening, snapping land link to many snow bound areas while fresh landslides at 5-6 places between Ramban and Banihal have again closed the Jammu-Srinagar Highway. Over 50 to 60 light motor vehicles said to have been stranded in Ramban area since this morning. The stranded passengers have been provided shelter by the local administration.
Inspector General Police (Traffic), J&K, Alok Kumar told the Excelsior that movement of traffic on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was stopped at around 11 pm last night after light snowfall started at Pir Panchal in Jawahar Tunnel area. He said the road turned slippery and till then more than 4500 trucks besides around 1500 other vehicles had crossed Jawahar Tunnel and slide zones for their onward journey to Jammu.
While referring to the fresh land slides in Ramban belt, the IG Traffic said the fresh landslides at least at 5-6 places during early hours today, blocked National Highway between Ramban and Banihal. At Panthiyal, Battery Chashma and Anokhi Fall, slides were cleared by this evening but shooting stones continued there. He said Mom Passi area at Ramsu, where 11 passengers were injured during shooting stones last evening, has also turned dangerous.
He said the local Police and Traffic Police authorities in Ramban section have been deployed at these dangerous zones where people are crossing on foot and reaching their local destinations by trans-ship. He said the people must take precautions and avoid journey under such- conditions on this highway taking a cue from last night’s Ramsu incident.
He said today no convoy from either side was allowed. And tomorrow morning situation will be reviewed before opening of road. But the Met officials have predicted rain and snowfall tomorrow as well. He said near Nashri another landslide hit this morning and that area was also cleared after three hours. The Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road however, remained opened today, the IG added.
Superintendent of Traffic Police Rural Kashmir, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah, said that no traffic plied on the highway today. He said that yesterday around 7000 vehicles crossed towards Jammu. Shah said there are around 4000 trucks stranded at Qazigund and over 200 passenger vehicles that arrived in the morning for cross over but due to snowfall and slides they were stopped at Qazigund.
A senior official of the Airport Authority of India at Jammu, Mukesh Kumar told the Excelsior that from Jammu airport at least 11 flights were cancelled today due to bad weather, poor visibility and snowfall at Srinagar. He said they included three flights of Spicejet, three Indigo, two Air India, two Go Air and one Vistara.
The chopper service from Katra base camp to Mata Vaishnodevi Bhawan also remained suspended due to rain and bad weather while battery car operation was also stalled. However, yatra continued smoothly, a SMVD Shrine Board official said.
Snowfall and poor Visibility at Srinagar airport led to cancellation of 22 flights to and fro the airport. Large numbers of the passengers were desperately wanting to fly but were stranded at the airport.
The passengers were aghast at the airlines as they refused to book them in next few days. They were asked to pay four times more or were asked to take a flight next week.
“We have bought tickets last month for Rs 4000, now they are charging four times more if we book for tomorrow and day after tomorrow. If we don’t opt for refund they are asking us to wait for a week before they could book us on another flight. How can they do this?” asked a passenger, who was travelling to Jammu.
Meanwhile, heavy snowfall and rain lashed Kashmir today leading to disruption of air traffic at Srinagar airport. It rained throughtout the day in Kashmir valley with intermittent snowfall. A MeT department official said that the current WD will lead to heavy snowfall and rains till tomorrow evening.
The hills received heavy snowfall today with Gulmarg recording 2 feet, Afferwat 3 feet, Tangmarg one foot, Chansooda 2 feet, Baramulla town 10 inches, Keran 2 feet, Kupwara town 8 inches, Razdhan Top 1.5 feet, Bandipora 8 inches, Jawahar Tunnel over one foot and Pahalgam 6 inches.
The rains and snowfall since morning led to water-logging in several areas causing hardships to commuters and the pedestrians. However, at few places, SMC was seen de-watering the waterlogged areas but at majority places, roads remained submerged.
Reports from Bhaderwah, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur and Kathua said that fresh snowfall at the higher reaches continued since last night while roads in many snowbound areas were also closed. The power supply to many such areas has also been affected.
Basohli-Bani road, Thannamandi- Dera Gali-Bafliaz, Mandi Loran and Sawjian, Lati-Dudu-Basantgarh and Mahore- Gool roads in Jammu region were closed. The rain continued through out the day and late tonight while the Met officials have predicted rain and snowfall in next 24 hours. The weather will improve from February 8.
Meanwhile, the freak weather led to drop in the day temperatures across Kashmir. Srinagar recorded maximum day temperature of 3 degree Celsius, over six degrees below normal while the night temperature settled at one degree Celsius.
Pahalgam recorded maximum day temperature of 2.2 degree Celsius, around six degrees below normal while the night temperature settled at minus 0.6 degree Celsius. Gulmarg recorded maximum day temperature of minus 2.2 degree Celsius, around 4 degrees below normal while the night temperature settled at minus 4.6 degree Celsius. Leh recorded maximum day temperature of 6.4 degree Celsius and night temperature settled at minus 4.3 degree Celsius. Kargil recorded maximum day temperature of minus 1.4 degree Celsius and night temperature settled at minus 16 degree Celsius.
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