Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Jan 15: While Kashmir continues to remain in the grip of severe cold, the trial run of vehicle on the Bailey bridge launched by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Kela Morh near Ramban, will be conducted tomorrow morning.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Nazim Zai Khan and Chief Engineer BRO, Brigadier IK Jaggi, who were closely supervising the progress of construction work of Bailey bridge besides repairing work of damaged concrete bridge at Kela Morh, said that BRO engineers have almost completed the task and the trial run will be conducted tomorrow morning.
Jaggi, who was also accompanied by Project Director, NHIA, Parshotam Kumar Phonsa and other officers of BRO, said that he was closely monitoring the work at the site himself. He said that construction of Bailey bridge is nearing completion and trial run would be conducted tomorrow morning before starting the plying of vehicles on the bridge. Jaggi said that the construction of Bailey bridge was going on round the clock.
The DC Ramban said that perishable items have been trans-shipped to their destinations. Moreover, Civil QRT Ramban, Banihal, Ramsu and other organizations are helping the pedestrians to by-pass the damaged portion at Kela Morh safely. He impressed upon all stakeholders to speed up the construction work at both sites to restore hassle- free supply of essentials to Kashmir and traffic movement for the convenience of commuters.
Meanwhile, reports from Kashmir said that there was no let up in the cold wave conditions in Kashmir even as Srinagar was engulfed in a thick layer of fog today.
A Meteorological Department official said that Srinagar recorded the minimum temperature of minus 7.6 degree Celsius, an increase of nearly one degree from the previous night’s minus 8.4 degree Celsius, the coldest temperature recorded in the last three decades.
The Dal lake and other water bodies continue to be frozen with people in Kashmir facing severe water crisis due to frozen taps. The minimum temperatures continued far below than the normal in other parts of the Valley, settling at minus 8.6 degree Celsius in Pahalgam against minus 11.1 degree Celsius on the previous night in the world-famous health resort.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 8.3 degree Celsius against 10.0 degree Celsius on the previous night. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 8.4 degree Celsius against minus 10.3 degree Celsius on the earlier night.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.7 degree Celsius against minus 7.0 degree Celsius on the earlier night. Leh recorded a low of minus 11.6 degree Celsius against previous night’s minus 14.0 degree Celsius, Kargil recorded minus 17.6 degree Celsius against minus 19.6 degree Celsius on the night earlier while Drass was coldest at minus 25.3 degree Celsius.
The Weatherman has forecast mainly dry weather with morning fog and mist at isolated places of Kashmir and plains of Jammu division in the next 24 hours with no significant change till January 20.
Meanwhile, Srinagar Municipal Corporation workers today removed icicles from Ram Bagh-Jahangir Chowk Flyover a day after a man was injured when an icicle fell from a top and hit him.
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