Several flights cancelled
Gopal Sharma/Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Jan 31: After heavy rain, snowfall at Pir Panchal and landslides at several places between Ramban and Banihal area, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has been closed for traffic while several flights were cancelled due to bad weather and poor visibility at Jammu and Srinagar airports.
The chopper service to Mata Vaishnodevi was also suspended due to bad weather and snowfall at Trikuta Hills while several roads in Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Reasi and Poonch were closed due to fresh snowfall.
Kashmir’s higher reaches including famous ski-resort and others including Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg as well as the plains received a fresh snowfall since Wednesday, bringing the temperature further down in the Valley.
Light snowfall and rains were witnessed in the Valley throughout the day while hills experienced heavy snowfall. Jawahar tunnel had fresh snowfall of 1.6 feet this evening that led to closure of the NH in this sector.
The temperature in the winter capital city, holy township of Katra, Bhaderwah, Batote, Patnitop and several other places has shown sharp fall during last 2 days while power supply has been snapped due to damage caused to electric poles, cables and transformers in many snow bound areas of the region.
A Met spokesman has predicted rain, thunder-shower and snowfall at many places tonight and tomorrow. He maintained that weather will improve on Saturday and it will be clear sky on February 3. On February 4-5 it will again be cloudy weather, with rain at most places and snowfall at the higher reaches across the region.
SSP Traffic (officiating) National Highway Sanjeev Khajuria said that over night rain, resulted into fresh landslides at Panthyal, Digdol, Anokhi Fall, Battery Chashma and Marog and also shooting stones at many places in Ramban-Ramsu-Banihal belt. The National Highway Authorities tried to clear the road at some places but shooting stones hampered the restoration work. Moreover, it was raining continuously in the area, he added.
Mr Khajuria further said about 12 kms road stretch between Ramban and Ramsu where four-lanning/ road widening work is being carried out by HCC and others, entire highway is totally disturbed there. Shooting stones, falling of big boulders on the road has become routine. In the absence of any proper protection work by the concerned agency NHAI/HCC and others, this problem has aggravated. The highway has turned more dangerous for use these days, the SSP added.
He further said that snow fall in Jawahar Tunnel area also resulted into closure of the highway today. It was raining and snowing at Pir Panchal and Banihal belt since this afternoon. No movement of traffic was allowed from Nagrota Bypass near Jammu, Udhampur TCP and also from Qazigund side towards Jammu. However, Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road was clear by this evening. Tomorrow morning, the road clearance work will be launched and after taking joint review, the highway will be re-opened, subject to weather conditions.
A Traffic official said that no fresh traffic will be allowed to ply on the highway and only stranded traffic will be cleared first. He said there are around 2000 trucks stranded in Qazigund.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Showkat Aijaz said that they have provided shelter and food to around 500 people who were stranded on the NH in Ramban sector. He said these passengers traveled in light motor vehicles from Jammu towards Banihal and Srinagar against the traffic advisory.
He said that the district administration and police provided shelter to around 150 people in Ramban and 100 in Banihal area and over 50 people were provided shelter and food with the help of villagers in Ramsu and Panthyal areas. He said that besides this, a large number of people who are stranded on the NH are staying in hotels in Ramban and Banihal.
Meanwhile, SP Airport, Jammu Mohd Aslam said that seven flights were cancelled at Jammu Airport today due to bad weather and poor visibility. They included Go Air, Indigo and Spice Jet. He said several flights to Srinagar were also cancelled due to snowfall and poor visibility. The chopper service to Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine from Katra base camp also remained suspended today due to bad weather and snowfall at the helipad, a Shrine Board official said.
Due to poor visibility and inclement weather conditions, the operation of maximum flights from and to Srinagar was cancelled today and only eight flights landed and took off from Sriangar airport. The flights cancelled from included those of Air Asia, Indigo, Go Air, Vistara and Spicejet.
Meanwhile, reports said that Chenani- Latti-Dudu and Ramnagar-Majori-Basantgarh roads have also been closed. Mahore- Gool and Thannamandi-Dera Gali-Bafliaz-Surankote and Mandi-Loran-Sawjian roads have also been closed due to fresh snowfall.
Partnitop and Natha Top experienced heavy snowfall this evening. It was snowing when the last reports came in and nearly 8 inch to 10 inch snowfall was reported at these places this evening. Mata Vaishnodevi Bhawan also experienced fresh snowfall but yatra was going on smoothly, an official spokesman said.
In Bhadarwah, fresh spell of heavy snowfall in higher reaches of Bhaderwah Valley and moderate snowfall in the town since early morning on Thursday further intensified cold wave conditions in entire Chenab region, dipping mercury to the minus and throwing normal life out of gear. The torrential rain since yesterday lashed whole Chenab belt while Bhadarwah experienced fresh snowfall. The surroundings of Bhadarwah valley which include Ashapati, Seoj Dhar, Kailash Kund, Subar Dhar, Shankoja and Jaie witnessed heavy snowfall, while Bhaderwah town recorded about 7-8 inch snowfall by this evening.
Reports further said that power supply to many snowbound areas of Jammu region including Machhedi, Lohai- Malhar, Bani, Dudu-Latti- Basantgarh, Gool-Mahore, Bhalessa, Doda-Kishtwar and Ramban has been snapped. The people are facing lot of hardships.
Due to closure of highway, a large number of passengers have been stranded at Jammu Bus Stand while more than 800 trucks/load carriers and petrol/diesel tankers have been stranded at Nagrota Bypass- Sidhra Road, Udhampur –Jakheni Bypass, Dhar Road and Mansar-Manwal area of Jammu region.
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