The air and road connectivity with Kashmir valley was on Thursday snapped due to heavy snowfall, poor visibility and landslides. The Srinagar airport announced cancellation of many flights to Jammu, New Delhi, Mumbai and other places, as a result of which passengers remained stranded. Also, the Jammu-Srinagar highway was closed due to fresh snowfall and landslides.
The airport announced cancellation of the GoAir flights 128/129 between Srinagar and Delhi, IndiGo 6E 2554, 6E 576 and 6E 653 and AirAsia I5-716.
The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway that was thrown open only on Wednesday after seven days was again blocked on Thursday due to snow and landslides.
Reports said more than 5000 vehicles were stranded at various places on the highway. Roads in Bannihal sector turned slippery following fresh snowfall, and there were some landslides on the Ramban stretch.
Officials said priority would be to ensure that no vehicle got stranded and all vehicles parked or abandoned at various places on the highway were cleared.
The decision to suspend traffic on the highway was taken after the Met department issued advisory on Wednesday predicting rain and snowfall. The highway has remained closed for over 12 days in January due to landslides and snowfall.
Meanwhile, the entire Jammu and Kashmir is in the grip of severe cold wave. The upper areas were receiving snow, while the plains of Jammu experienced rain.
The cold desert region of Ladakh was in the grip of freezing temperature, recording minus 18.4 degrees Celsius at some places. Leh in Ladakh region recorded minus 9.1, Kargil minus 18.4 and Drass minus 14.9 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar was minus 0.3 degrees Celsius while Pahalgam and Gulmarg recorded minus 2.7 and minus 6, respectively. Jammu was at 10.1, Katra 8.2, Batote and Bannihal 0.3 and Bhaderwah recorded 1.2 degrees Celsius.