The road network between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country was snapped on Friday due to heavy snowfall and landslides on the Jammu-Srinagar highway and also the Mughal Road.
Jawhar Tunnel on the highway recorded heavy snow on both portals. Panthyal also had snowfall. AirAsia, Indigo, Spicejet, AirIndia, and Vistara have canceled their flights for the day. Flights to Srinagar were suspended due to snow and poor visibility at the airport.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban said traffic movement has been stopped on the highway in view of continuous snowfall in the Nowgam-Banihal sector and shooting stones at Mehar and Ramban.
Ladakh UT was also experiencing heavy snowfall at Zojila Pass, Kargil, Drass, and Leh. The weather department has warned against avalanches in the snowbound area.
Men and machinery have been deployed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and PWD to clear snow from the highway and the link roads leading to various villages. Snow clearance operation has also been launched in Kashmir.
The Vaishnodevi shrine had the season’s first snowfall causing excitement among pilgrims. The tourist resort of Patnitop in Jammu was covered under a thick blanket of snow.
The hilly areas had fresh snowfall and rains lashed the plains dipping the temperature.
The Meteorological department said snowfall started at most places including Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara, Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam in Kashmir as well as Banihal and Bhadarwah areas of Jammu division this morning.
The tourist destination of Gulmarg received 6 cm of snowfall during 24 hours till 8.30 am while Qazigund received 3 cm, Pahalgam 3.5 cm, and Kupwara 5 cm of snowfall.
Srinagar recorded minus 1 degree Celsius and the temperature in Pahalgam was recorded at minus 2.4 degrees Celsius.
Jammu received 13mm of rainfall in the 24 hours. Banihal received 15.2mm of rain.
In Ladakh, Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 9.4 degrees Celsius and minus 8.6 degrees Celsius respectively.