Kashmir returning to normal after snow-led disruptions; cold day in parts of Haryana, Rajasthan

New Delhi: Normality was returning to Kashmir with flight operations resuming and several roads cleared for traffic on Sunday, a day after the season's heaviest snowfall threw daily life out of gear, while cold conditions prevailed in Punjab and Haryana as maximum temperatures hovered below normal.

The higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh experienced snowfall, with Kalpa and Kufri recording the highest precipitation. Narakanda, Keylong and other places in the state's higher reaches also received snow early on Sunday.

In Rajasthan, some places in the state's eastern parts received light rain while dense to very dense fog was recorded at many places. Some places also witnessed cold-day conditions.

The Jammu and Kashmir government deployed men and machinery to restore services following Saturday's heavy snowfall that disrupted connectivity. The snowfall, being dubbed as among the heaviest in recent memory, began on Friday evening and continued into Saturday.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah commended the efforts of various departments involved in the restoration process.

In a post on X, he praised the power department for effectively managing outages. He also lauded the roads and buildings department for its effective snow clearance operations.

By Sunday morning, air traffic at the Srinagar International Airport had resumed, with Airports Authority of India officials confirming that operations were back to normal following safety checks and runway clearance.

The Srinagar-Jammu national highway, crucial for connecting the valley with the rest of the country, was also reopened for vehicular traffic after a day's closure.

However, commuters were advised to exercise caution, particularly between Banihal and Qazigund, where roads remained slippery.

Several key interdistrict routes, including Mughal Road and Sinthan Pass, continue to be closed due to heavy snow accumulation.

Saturday's snowfall had significantly impacted air, rail and road traffic.

In neighbouring Punjab, and Haryana, a thick blanket of fog reduced visibility early in the morning at several places, according to the Met office.

In Haryana, severe cold prevailed during the day at most places.

The maximum temperature in Ambala was recorded at 15.8 degrees Celsius, Hisar 13.6 degrees, Karnal 13 degrees, Rohtak 12.2 degrees, Sirsa 13.4 degrees and Gurugram 13.2 degrees.

In Punjab, Amritsar registered a day temperature of 16.7 degrees Celsius and Ludhiana 16 degrees.

Delhi, on the other hand, recorded a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, the India Meteorological Department said.

The minimum temperature was at 13 degrees Celsius, six notches above normal.

In Rajasthan, Kota recorded light rain in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am while the weather remained dry in the state's western parts.

The highest maximum temperature in the state was recorded in Barmer at 24.5 degrees Celsius.