Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 22: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed today due to fresh snowfall in Banihal and Patnitop areas and around 3000 vehicles including passengers are stranded and no fresh traffic will be allowed to ply tomorrow.
The Inspector General of Police, Traffic, Muneer Ahmad Khan told Excelsior that Highway was closed due to heavy snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel and Patnitop areas.
The IGP said that traffic was allowed from Jammu to Srinagar this morning amid rains and snowfall. He said that around 1000 vehicles crossed Jawahar Tunnel towards Srinagar this afternoon but Highway was closed due to heavy snowfall in the evening.
Khan said that around 8 inches snow had accumulated in Patnitop and 10 inches in Jawahar Tunnel area and it was still snowing in the evening in these areas. He said that around 3000 vehicles including load carriers and passenger vehicles are stranded on the Highway. These vehicles are stranded at Udhampur, Chenani, Kud, Batote, Ramban and Banihal.
The IGP said that traffic police clearing traffic towards Banihal so that the stranded vehicles are cleared tomorrow. He said that no traffic will be allowed to ply on the highway tomorrow.
In the meantime, Kashmir valley were lashed by rains today while the hills were experiencing fresh snowfall leading to drop in temperatures.
The Meteorological Department has forecast light to moderate rains and snow across many places in the State.
Maximum temperature in Srinagar was recorded at 5.2 degree Celsius and minimum 3.0 degree Celsius, Gulmarg recorded low of minus 8.6 degree Celsius, Pahalgam recorded maximum of 1.4 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 0.6 degree Celsius, Qazigund recorded maximum of 1.5 degree Celsius and minimum of 0.2 degree Celsius, Kokernag recorded maximum of 1.2 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 0.2 degree Celsius, Kupwara recorded maximum of 11.4 degree Celsius and minimum of 2.4 degree Celsius, Leh recorded maximum of 4.7 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 4,3 degree Celsius, Kargil recorded maximum of 1.2 degree Celsius and minimum of minus 10.9 degree Celsius.
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