Fresh snowfall in Kashmir;highway closed for second day

Surface and air links between Kashmir and the rest of the country remained disrupted for the second consecutive day on Friday due to fresh snowfall and rains.

The 264 km Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road link between Kashmir and rest of the country, remained closed for vehicular traffic movement for the second consecutive day following blockade of the road due to snowfall and avalanches, an official said.

“Around two feet of snow has accumulated on the road. Landslides have occurred at Anokhi Fall, Panthal and Kela Mode," he said and added that no traffic movement will be allowed on the highway on Friday except for the stranded vehicles and that too, only after the road is cleared.

Inclement weather has led to the closure of the strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway this winter many times. Shortage of essential supplies are a natural fallout of the highway closure as all supplies to the landlocked Kashmir Valley are routed through the highway.

Hundreds of vehicles, mostly trucks carrying goods, are stranded on the highway and their movement towards their destinations would be subject to improvement in weather and condition of the road, the official said.

He said flights operation from the Srinagar Airport also remained disrupted due to poor visibility and accumulation of snow on the runway.

The fresh snowfall in the valley also affected normal life as electricity supply has been snapped, while many roads in rural areas have been blocked due to snow.