Fayaz Bukhari/Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Jan 3: The winter capital city, Jammu recorded season’s lowest temperature today while heavy fog badly affected train and air traffic in the region. Kargil town of Ladakh recorded coldest night of the season as mercury fell over 20 degrees below the freezing point.
Kashmir valley also recorded sub-zero temperatures while the Meteorological department predicted light rains, snow in hills of Kashmir and some hilly areas of Jammu region.
A senior official at Jammu Airport said that due to dense fog in parts of Jammu and the northern region, two flights of Indo Airways and Air India were cancelled today while most of the flights were delayed. The first Indigo flight could land only at around 1.20 pm today at Jammu Airport. All other flights operated thereafter. He said not only in Jammu, the dense fog in Delhi and other parts of northern region delayed the operation of flights.
The train services were also badly delayed in the region due to poor visibility and foggy weather conditions.
A Northern Railways spokesman said that Indore- Jammu Express was delayed by three hours, Kolkata- Katra by two hours, Shiv Shakti by two hours, Hemkund Express also by two hours, Bathinda-Jammu Express by 6 hours, Sialdah Express by 7 hrs, Kathgodam Garibrath by 7 hours, Jhelum Express by 10 hours, Archana Express by 7 hours, Ahmedabad-Udhampur Express by 18 hours, Tata Moorie by 17 hours, Jamnagar-Jammu by 10 hours, Malwa Express by 6 hours while other trains by one to two hours.
The inter-state bus service in the region has also been affected badly due foggy weather conditions.
Meanwhile, a Meteorological department official said that there are chances of light rain, snow in upper reaches of the State. He said Jammu city recorded the lowest (4.3 Deg C) temperature of the season which is about 3 degree below normal. Jammu recorded maximum 15.1 degree C temperature today while minimum temperature in Jammu on Tuesday was 6.0 degree C.
Holy township of Katra recorded a maximum temperature of 17 degree C and minimum 6.2 deg C, Banihal maximum 16.5 degree C and minimum zero degree Celsius, Bhaderwah maximum 12.6 deg C and minimum minus 0.1 degree C while Batote maximum 13.2 deg C and minimum 2 degree C.
Kargil town recorded its coldest night of this season as mercury fell over 20 degrees below the freezing point while the Valley also recorded sub-zero temperatures.
The minimum temperature in Kargil town plummeted over 14 degrees from the previous night’s low of minus 6.1 degrees Celsius to settle at a low of minus 20.6 degrees Celsius.
Not only was Kargil the coldest recorded place in the State, last night was also the coldest night of the winter so far there. Leh town recorded a minimum temperature of minus 16.6 degrees Celsius last night down from minus 14.7 degrees the previous night. This was the lowest night temperature of the season last night in Leh as well.
Srinagar recorded minus 4.1 degree Celsius temperature last night while the day temperature settled at 10.7 degree Celsius, 3.8 degree Celsius above normal.
Qazigund recorded minus 4.0 degree Celsius last night while the day temperature settled at 10.0 degree Celsius, 2.9 degree Celsius above normal.
Pahalgam recorded minus 6.1 degree Celsius while the day temperature of the place settled at 8.0 degree Celsius, 3.2 degree Celsius above normal.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6.8 degree Celsius while the day temperature of the place was 1.8 degree Celsius, 0.2 degree Celsius above normal.
Kupwara recorded a low of minus 3.8 degree Celsius while the day temperature of the place was 8.6 degree Celsius, 3.0 degree Celsius above normal.
Kokernag recorded minus 1.7 degree Celsius while the day temperature of the place settled at 8.6 degree Celsius, 3.0 degree Celsius above normal.
Meanwhile, Bhaderwah experienced snowfall in the higher reaches during last 24 hours. Bhaderwah-Bani road also experienced heavy snowfall in the Chatergala Pass area. The road clearance work has been initiated by 114 RCC of Project Beacon under the Border Roads Organisation.
A dedicated team comprising of Satpudke TD, EE (Civ), PP Bhanewad, JE (Civ), Officer-In-charge and I/C Vivek, JE (Civ), Sudhansu Mishra, JE (Civ), Dhiraj, JE (Civ), Munna Gupta, JE (Civ), Shravan Kumar, JE (Civ) and Nabah Kumar Sharma, JE (Civ) with well trained BRO operators and labourers tirelessly worked round the clock and opened the road for the traffic movement within the least possible time under the guidance of Brigadier Vishal Aggrawal, Chief Engineer Project Beacon and Colonel Neeraj Karki, Commander, 35 Border Roads Task Force.
An official spokesman said, despite heavy snowfall, sub zero temperature and adverse climatic conditions, adequate measures have been taken to maintain the connectivity of the road from Bani to Bhaderwah for the safe convenience of the general public.
During the task, the three residents of the area, who were stuck up in the Chatergala Pass and Sarthal area were rescued by the BRO men. Amid the snow clearance operation, the regular work on the bridges and permanent road structures is also in progress.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
