Snowfall, strike hit normal life in Kashmir

Shops, business establishments and government offices remained closed. Public transport was also off the road. The 300-km Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for the second consecutive day and  over 400 vehicles, on their way from Jammu to Srinagar, were stranded on the road.

“Efforts are on to restore the traffic and priority will be given for the forward movement of stranded vehicles,” said G M Wadoo, Superintendent of Police (Traffic).However, flight services between Kashmir and the rest of the country, which was cut off due to snowfall on Friday, resumed on Saturday. 

Though continued snowfalls were reported on Friday night across Kashmir, it  stopped on Saturday morning. Subsequently, men and machinery were pressed into service by the authorities to clear snow-bound roads.

Electric supply remained disrupted in most parts due to faulty electric lines and the knocking down of polls by the snow. The supply was restored  only in some areas.The strike call given by the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, against the alleged atrocities by the state government, was the first by the separatists in Kashmir this year. The faction is particularly upset with the alleged ill-treatment meted out to detained senior lawyer Mian Abdul Qayoom, president of Kashmir High Court Bar Association.