Srinagar – Jammu highway shut on second consecutive day, Incent weather to continue

For the second consecutive day on Wednesday, rains lashed plains of Kashmir and upper reaches received fresh snowfall even as the Srinagar-Jammu Highway has been closed for traffic. The weatherman has predicted precipitation in next 24 hours as well.
On Wednesday no movement of traffic, either from Jammu or Srinagar, was allowed on the highway. “We did not allow the traffic to ply because of shooting stones on the road at several places,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Traffic, (Rural), Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, told Kashmir Post. He said that due to continuous snowfall and rains there have been lot of shooting stones between Qazigund and Ramban. “Shooting stones came down at other places including Panthial, Anokhifall and Digdol, blocking the road,” he said.
The SSP said that they are monitoring the situation. “In case of fair weather on Thursday, we will allow traffic from Srinagar to Jammu,” he said.
He said that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which maintains the arterial road, has already pressed men and machines to clear the highway but inclement weather is hampering their efforts to restore the road.
Meteorological Department officials here said that they expect light to moderate rains across Kashmir in next 24 hours.
In view of the prediction, Divisional Administration Kashmir Wednesday issued an avalanche warning for next 24 hours for hilly and avalanche prone areas of Kashmir and Kargil district.
Chandigarh-based Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has also issued a medium danger avalanche warning for Jammu & Kashmir.
“Medium danger avalanche warning exists for avalanche prone slopes in Kupwara, Bandipora, Anantnag, Baramula, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Badgam, Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Riasi, Doda, Kishtwar and Kargil districts of Jammu and Kashmir,” it said.
MeT officials said here said that most parts of Kashmir on Wednesday witnessed rains and fresh snowfall. “Light to moderate intermittent rains continued for the second successive day,” they said adding higher reaches that included Gulmarg, Khilanmarg, Sadhana Pass, Gurez, Sonamarg and some other areas received fresh snowfall.
Reports said that upper reaches of Ganderbal district including health resort Sonamarg received about one foot of fresh snow since Tuesday, adding that Gagengeer and other upper reaches of the district also witnessed snowfall.
Border Roads Organization (BRO) officials said that in first phase the snow clearance operation from Gagengeer to Sonamarg had been started on Friday however due to continuous snowfall the snow clearance work was affected. They said that as the weather improves the snow clearance work will resume in full swing.
The officials said that due to fresh rains and snow, the temperatures recorded further dip and settled below normal at majority of places in Kashmir. They said Srinagar received intermittent rain since Monday morning. The summer capital recorded dip in maximum and minimum temperatures. The night temperature in Srinagar was 3.1 degrees, which is still slightly above normal, they added.