Remote areas cut off, key roads shut

Srinagar, Jan 27: Heavy snowfall in higher reaches of Kashmir on Tuesday once again forced the closure of all major roads connecting the region with the Chenab Valley, Pir Panjal region, and several remote areas, leaving large parts of north Kashmir and Chenab Valley cut off.

The roads linking Kashmir with the Chenab Valleyís Kishtwar and its twin isolated valleys – Warwan and Marwa – remain closed due to heavy snow accumulation at Sinthan Top and Margan Top, officials said.

ìThe back-to-back heavy snowfall at Sinthan Top and Margan Top has led to the closure of the Kokernag-Sinthan Top-Kishtwar road and the Gawran-Margan Top-Warwan road,î an official said.

He said the Mughal Road, linking Kashmir with Poonch district in the Pir Panjal region, remains closed after heavy snowfall at Pir Ki Gali and other stretches along the route.

In north Kashmir, access to remote areas including Gurez, Machil, Tangdhar, and Karnah has been suspended following the closure of Razdan Pass and Sadhna Pass, while the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road, which connects Kashmir with Kargil in Ladakh, also remains shut.

ìRoads to far-flung areas in north Kashmir continue to remain closed due to heavy accumulation of snow,î Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic Rural, Ravinder Paul said.

He said that snowfall in parts of Bandipora district measured around 1.5 feet.

Authorities said the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remains closed due to snowfall on the Kashmir side near the Navyug Tunnel and rain and snow between Banihal and Ramban.

ìPassengers should not travel on the highway unless there is a green signal,î Paul said.

Traffic Police issued an advisory urging residents of snowbound and remote areas to avoid unnecessary travel.

ìPeople living in far-flung areas are advised to strictly follow the traffic advisory and avoid travelling on these roads,î Paul said.

Restrictions have also been imposed on tourist travel.

ìOnly vehicles fitted with anti-skid chains are allowed to tourist destinations like Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam. Vehicles carrying more than 10 passengers are not being allowed to Gulmarg,î he said.

Officials said road clearance operations would resume once weather conditions improve.

M M Parvaiz reports from Ramban

The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed on Tuesday following fresh snowfall and accumulation of snow between Qazigund and Banihal, traffic authorities said.

No vehicular movement is being allowed towards either Kashmir or Jammu as adverse weather conditions continue to affect the highway.

Authorities advised commuters and vehicle operators not to travel on the highway until the weather improves, road restoration work is completed, and the route is declared safe for traffic.

Earlier, the Traffic Police Headquarters, Jammu and Kashmir, issued a traffic advisory urging commuters to avoid travel on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in view of the prevailing inclement weather.

According to the advisory, the Meteorological Department (MeT) has forecast further snowfall and rainfall across the region, raising the risk of shooting stones and landslides at vulnerable stretches of the highway.

Motorists were also cautioned about frost formation between Nachlana and the Navyug Tunnel due to recent snowfall, making the road surface slippery and increasing the risk of accidents.

Officials said a decision regarding the resumption of vehicular movement on the highway would be taken only after weather conditions improve and necessary road clearance and restoration work is completed.

Commuters have been advised to commence their journeys only after confirming the latest road status from Traffic Control Units (TCUs) at Srinagar, Ramban, or Jammu.

Travellers can also stay updated through the official social media platforms of the J&K Traffic Police, including the Twitter handle @Traffic_hqrs and the Facebook page Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police.

Meanwhile, the Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag road also remains closed for vehicular movement due to fresh snow accumulation, the advisory said.

The Traffic Police have appealed to the public to strictly follow official advisories and avoid unnecessary travel during the period of adverse weather to ensure safety.

The highway was partially reopened on Sunday after remaining closed for two days due to snowfall.

However, fresh snowfall late Monday evening forced authorities to halt traffic at multiple locations along the highway as a precautionary measure.

Traffic was stopped at Jakhiani, Udhampur, Chanderkote, Phalata, and other designated safer locations to prevent any untoward incidents.

Officials said the decision was taken in the interest of public safety, considering the prevailing weather and road conditions.

Irfan Raina reports from Ganderbal

The higher reaches of Kashmir, including Zojila Pass and the health resort of Sonamarg in the Ganderbal district, experienced a fresh spell of heavy snowfall since Monday evening, resulting in the closure of the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) road.

Zojila Pass received about 3 feet of snowfall, while Sonamarg also saw about 2 feet of fresh snow, covering the area in a pristine white blanket.

The Srinagar-Leh National Highway was closed to traffic due to the snow accumulation. Approximately 3 feet of snow accumulated at Zojila Pass on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, prompting a precautionary halt to traffic movement.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had earlier deployed its machinery for snow clearance, with an official from the BRO Project Beacon stating that the machines were on standby and waiting for the weather to improve to clear the snow from the road.

He said that after completing the snow clearance work and as weather conditions improve, a decision would be made regarding the resumption of traffic.

The continuous snowfall and slippery road conditions led to disruption of the traffic movement, particularly between Kangan to Gagengar, Sonamarg, on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway.

Hundreds of vehicles, mostly tourist cabs, were seen stuck in a massive traffic gridlock on the Sonamarg-Kangan road. In view of the slippery condition of the road, the authorities said that only 4×4 vehicles and vehicles with anti-skid chains would be allowed to ply towards Gagangeer.

Slippery conditions on the SSG Road forced the Police to halt Sonamarg-bound vehicles at Chinnar Wussan.

SHO Kangan Lateef Ali and SHO Gund Rayees Ahmad, along with their teams, were seen on the ground supervising traffic management, while the use of snow chains has been made mandatory to ensure safe vehicular movement.

Amid the snowfall, the J&K Police personnel were seen providing a helping hand to people and tourists.

In view of inclement weather, Police in Ganderbal constituted teams and deputed them across the district for providing helping hand to the people of Ganderbal and tourists to avoid any untoward incident or distress, especially in far flung areas, tourism destinations, and areas prone to heavy snowfall. The Traffic Police appealed to commuters and drivers to adhere to the traffic advisory for their safety during these conditions.

The authorities ordered that only those vehicles having 4×4 or equipped with anti-skid chains would be allowed further up from Gagengar towards Sonamarg to avoid any mishaps and prolonged jams along the road.

Parts of Ladakh also received snowfall.

Drass, Minamarg, and Kargil witnessed light to moderate snowfall, ending a prolonged dry spell.