NH opened after 3 days, 250 stranded vehicles cleared; power crisis deepens

Fayaz Bukhari/
Gopal Sharma

SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Jan 2:  The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway which was closed on Tuesday for traffic after heavy snowfall, was re-opened for one-way traffic on the third day today after the Border Roads Organization (BRO) cleared snow in Banihal and Jawahar Tunnel area this morning while many areas in Kashmir and  Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch besides other parts of Jammu region are without electricity.
The Inspector General of Police, Traffic, Muneer Ahmad Khan, told Excelsior that the BRO cleared snow from the highway around Jawahar Tunnel areas early in the morning but snow blizzards and slippery road conditions between Nowgam in Banihal to Jawahar Tunnel created problems for the movement of traffic.
Mr Khan said that around 250 vehicles including 165 Light Mortor Vehicles, stranded between Ramban to Banihal on the highway due to closure of the highway,  were cleared today. He said that these vehicles were cleared between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and the highway was closed for the night due to slippery road conditions caused by the freezing of snow on the highway.
The IGP said that highway has been re-opened for one way traffic and vehicles form Jammu will ply towards Srinagar tomorrow. He said that there is avalanche threat in Jawahar Tunnel area and authorities are maintaining utmost caution.
The train-service was resumed in the Kashmir valley after two days. However, train service has remained suspended between Anantnag and Qazigund and Banihal because of heavy accumulation of snow on the track. A Railway official said that train services resumed between Baramulla and Anantnag today. He said that with the improvement in weather, train services were allowed. The official said that as a precautionary measure train services between

Anantnag and Banihal remained suspended and efforts are being made to resume it.
Meanwhile, there has been some relief to the people of the Valley from sub-zero temperatures for two days due to snowfall, the mercury across the Valley again dipped several degrees last night.
A MeT Department official said that the minimum temperature in Pahalgam, in South Kashmir, dipped by nearly eight degrees to settle at minus 12.2 degrees Celsius compared to minus 4.6 degrees Celsius the previous night. It was the coldest night of the season so far in the tourist resort.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg registered a low of minus 11.0 degrees Celsius. The mercury in Srinagar settled at minus 2.1 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night’s 1.3 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Qazigund was minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, while the mercury fell to a low of minus 6.4 degrees Celsius in Kokernag and minus 4.4 degrees Celsius in Kupwara.
Leh, recorded a low of minus 15.3 degrees Celsius, more than eight degrees down from the previous night’s minus 7.2 degrees Celsius. Kargil recorded a low of minus 11.6 degrees Celsius.
Amid subzero temperatures, people in different areas of Kashmir valley protested against Power Development Department (PDD) over the worsening power scenario in Valley following snowfall. People in Central Kashmir district of Budgam blocked Chadoora road at Gopalpora and Wathoora for hours to protest against the power crisis. The protestors alleged that Government failed to restore power to the area after snowfall. The protesters refused to disperse despite assurance by district administration and Police that power will be restored to these villages.
Protests against the PPD over non-availability of power were also held at Mehjoor Nagar area of Srinagar. The protestors alleged that the area is reeling under darkness for past three days. Protests against non-availability of power were reported from South Kashmir’s Kadipora, Tahab, Central Kashmir’s Pakharpora and Zainakote area.
Meanwhile, the Government has decided to provide helicopter service in Marwah, Dachhan and Wadwan area of  Kishtwar and Doda to airlift the stranded passengers and  patients while several Ministers along with Divisional Commissioner and IGP Jammu had aerial survey to many snowbound areas and also established contact with local administration in  Banihal, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar areas. Due to road blockade many areas are facing shortage of kerosene oil, vegetables and other food items.
DIG Traffic Jammu S A Watali told the Excelsior that traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was partially restored today and hardly around 250 vehicles  were cleared for Srinagar. He said the road was slippery at many places including Patnitop, Batote and Banihal area besides Jawahar Tunnel and the vehicular movement was again stopped due to slippery conditions in the evening. He said many vehicles, mostly trucks were stranded at Udhampur, Falata, Jakheni, Dhar Road,  Manwal, Nud in Samba, Narota and Dayala Chak area. If the weather condition improves these vehicles will be cleared for Srinagar tomorrow. But no vehicle will be allowed beyond Udhampur after 10.30 am, he added.
He said the traffic has also been restored to Poonch and Mendhar besides Doda-Kishtwar and Bhaderwah while many link roads were still closed due to heavy snowfall. Traffic on Basohli-Bani road has been restored besides Rajouri and Budhal but Ramnagar-Dudu-Basantgarh, Loran-Mandi, Thannamandi-Dera Gali-Surankote roads were still closed. Mughal road was also blocked due to heavy snow at Pir ki Gali. The GREF and PWD authorities were busy in clearing snow from these closed roads.
Reports from various areas revealed that there was shortage of eatables, fresh vegetables, food rains and kerosene oil in the rural and remote areas.  The electricity to many areas could not be restored as due to heavy snowfall, the poles have broken and cables damaged. In Bani sub-division alone, out of   279 units of  electric transformers, hardly 15 are functioning while all others are non-function at present. In  Bani town, the power could be restored partially last evening while over 90 % area was still cut off. Similar is the position in Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Gool-Mahore, Dudu-Basantgarh, Rajour and Poonch districts. The PDD officials claimed that with snow many poles have broken and even transformers damaged due to over loading. The restoration work has been launched on war footing.
From Jammu airport several Srinagar bound flights were delayed due to non-clearance of snow at Srinagar airport. Several morning flights were late by one to two hours today. However almost all the flights from Delhi operated today.  The trains service has also been hit due to bad weather in the region.
At Jammu bus stand many passengers have been stranded. They also held protest demonstration and demanded their airlifting to Kashmir and parts of Doda and Kishtwar. The police had to resort to mild cane- charge after they tried to block highway near B C Road during this afternoon.
Meanwhile, Minister for R&B Abdul Majid Wani and Minister of State for Home and Industries Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo along with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Shantmanu and IGP Rajesh Kumar, visited Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Banihal on the directions of Chief Minister and reviewed the situation. They said that passengers and patients stranded in snow bound areas of Marwah, Dachhan and Wadwan  would be airlifted by providing chopper service.
They also reviewed the situation with the top civil, police and traffic officers and took stock of  over all situation prevailing post snowfall . They also met the local administration and issued direction to the officers to ensure restoration of  power, water supply, connectivity and essentials supplies. They stressed for speedy clearance of all the roads. They took review of the stock and supply position of essentials  and restoration of essential public service in snow bound areas. The Ministers also asked the officers not to allow movement of vehicles during night hours and impose strict discipline on  the highway
The officers of the CAPD Department were directed to ensure smooth distribution and availability of ration in far flung and snowbound areas. It was apprised     that 6075 qtls of wheat was available in the stores in Doda area and adequate dumping has been made at various stores n the area. Adequate kerosene was also available in these districts.
All the DCs were asked to remain at their headquarters and ensure speedy restoration of all the services.
The Traffic officers told that traffic movement on National Highways connecting erstwhile Doda district , border districts of Poonch and Rajouri would be fully restored by tomorrow. They disclosed that clearance of landslides near Thathri which caused blockade of this road section of Batote- Kishtwar National Highway would be completed by tomorrow.

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