4 flights grounded, more at risk: Snowstorm disrupts Kashmir air travel, leaving travelers to wait it out

• Jammu-Srinagar highway reopened after two days

• Mughal Road, Leh highway still blocked due to snowfall

The air traffic between Kashmir and rest of the country was temporarily suspended, on Sunday, due to snowfall in the valley, officials said here.

While four flights have already been cancelled, the remaining scheduled flights have been put on standby due to snowfall, an official of the Airport Authority of India said.

The official said the snowfall, which began late last night, had stopped briefly early in the morning, allowing clearance of the runway. “However, the snowfall started again before any flights could operate,” he added.

The plains of Kashmir are witnessing moderate snowfall while heavy snowfall has been reported in the higher reaches of the Valley. Snow clearance operations are being carried out since early hours to ensure that the roads are traffic worthy.

Authorities have advised motorists to drive carefully in view of the slippery roads.

Meanwhile, Vehicular movement on the Jammu-Srinagar highway resumed early Saturday after remaining suspended for two days following multiple landslides triggered by heavy rains and snowfall, officials said. However, the traffic police have advised commuters to follow lane discipline and drive cautiously as a portion of the arterial road near Sherbibi in Ramban district is single-lane and also slippery at a number of places.

The highway traffic was suspended on Thursday morning after the road was damaged by a landslide at Kishtwar Patheri near Sherbibi, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides. The snowfall also left the road slippery at various places between Ramban and Banihal, while several landslides triggered by rains blocked the road at Magerkote, Panthiyal, Mehar, Cafeteria Morh and Dalwas.

After hectic efforts, the concerned road clearance agencies cleared the debris and allowed stranded vehicles to move towards their respective destinations late Friday afternoon, paving the resumption of normal traffic from both sides this morning, the officials said.

A traffic official said the strategic 434-km Srinagar-Leh highway and the Mughal Road connecting the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district are still blocked due to heavy snowfall.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Meteorological Department forecast wet weather till Sunday evening and advised travellers to follow official advisories before starting their journey. In its weather update, the MeT department predicted the possibility of light to moderate snow or rain at many places on Saturday, the possibility of light to moderate snow or rain at most places with chances of heavy snowfall over isolated higher reaches on Sunday.

“Middle and higher reaches of the north, north-western and central parts (of Kashmir) may receive 7-10 inches of snow, lower reaches and plains may receive 3-6 inches,” the spokesperson said.