Day 2: Jammu-Srinagar NH remains shut for traffic
JAMMU/SRINAGAR : The Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country for the second day on Friday as heavy snowfall and shooting stones triggered by incessant rain in the plain areas of the region continued to block the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Flights to the Srinagar airport were also suspended due to poor visibility.
The vital road link connecting the Valley was cut off on Thursday morning after heavy snowfall blocked north portal of the Jawahar Tunnel. Though the rain stopped on Friday, the almost 50-hour heavy downpour led to shooting of stones at multiple places between Banihal and Ramban section of the highway.
“We have cleared the highway upto Banihal from Kashmir side but there have been landslides and shooting stones from Banihal upto Ramban due to which the road could not be restored,” said superintendent of police (traffic rural) Muzaffar Shah.
He said around 100 vehicles were allowed to move towards the Kashmir valley as they were stranded on the highway. “The road is closed for traffic as of now as it is dangerous owing to the landslides and shooting stones. We will let the traffic resume as soon as we get the clearance,” he said.
Men and machinery has been pressed into service to restore the highway. Around 2,000 vehicles have been stranded at Udhampur and Jammu by pass as vehicular movement was not allowed for the second day on
Friday.
“The road maintenance agency has cleared the debris at many locations and restoration work is going on,” said Suresh Sharma, deputy superintendent of police (traffic), Ramban.
Meanwhile, the 86-km-long Mughal road which connects Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch districts remained shut for the third consecutive day on Friday.
Meanwhile, the death toll in snow-related incidents since Thursday climbed to eight, officials said.
Police said 40-year-old Parveena Akhtar of Gunchahal in south Kashmir died after a tin shed collapsed on her due to accumulation of snow on Friday morning.
“In Beerwah, 80-year-old Mohammad Subhan died when a tin sheet fell on him while Abdul Rashid Sheikh of Karkgam Budgam lost his life after a branch of the Chinar tree fell on him,” said an official. A man died after being struck by lightning in Udhampur district, while 16 people caught in snowfall and flash floods were rescued by security personnel, officials said on Friday.
Security forces also rescued 13 passengers, who were stranded on the Mughal Road following heavy snowfall on Thursday night, the police said.
All 10 flights bound for the Kashmir valley were cancelled on Friday.
“There were no flights from the Srinagar airport on Friday due to poor visibility and snow accumulation,” said officiating director of Srinagar airport, RK Biswas.
On Thursday, heavy snowfall damaged many trees and electricity poles, plunging the Valley into darkness. Official said they are hoping to restore the electricity by Friday evening.
In north Kashmir, the towers have been damaged and it will take two or three days for emergency restoration,” said power development department chief engineer, Hashmat Qazi.
The MeT has predicted improvement in the weather from Friday. “The weather was will improve further. Day temperatures increased while it may go below zero during the night,” said deputy director Srinagar MeT, Mukhtar Ahmad.