Fayaz Bukhari/
Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Dec 13: With improvement in weather this afternoon, Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was re-opened for traffic, while over 2500 stranded vehicles were cleared towards Kashmir by late this evening.
The highway was re-opened for traffic after remaining closed for nearly 30 hours following snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel area and landslides at several places between Ramban-Ramsu and Banihal.
IG Traffic, J&K, Alok Kumar told the Excelsior that the snow in Jawahar Tunnel area was cleared earlier but the land slides at three places in Ramban sector created hurdles. He said after clearance of landslides, and improvement in weather condition in Tunnel area of Pir Panjal, the highway was cleared and the movement of stranded vehicles towards Kashmir was allowed at around 3.30 pm.
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The IG said that at the first instance, all the passenger vehicles including a large number of Light Motor Vehicles were allowed to ply towards Kashmir. At around 6.30 pm again, another landslide took place near Battery Chashma but it was again cleared within half an hour.
Kumar said by 9 pm about 2000 passenger vehicles and nearly 500 trucks were cleared for Kashmir. In view of slippery road conditions in Jawahar Tunnel area and precautionary measures, the movement of vehicles was stopped ahead of Banihal at 9 pm.
He said most of the vehicles were parked at safer places and tomorrow again, up convoy towards Kashmir will be allowed followed by down convoy the day after tomorrow, provided weather remained clear. He said on north side of Jawahar Tunnel, nearly 600-700 trucks were stranded and will be cleared by Saturday. He, however said that Srinagar- Leh highway and Mughal Roads were still closed but Batote-Doda and Kishtwar road was clear.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Traffic, Rural Kashmir, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah said that around 2.5 feet snow had accumulated at the Jawahar Tunnel and Border Roads Organization pressed its men and machinery into service to clear the snow. He said after the improvement in the weather in the afternoon and clearance of the snow, the stranded vehicles were allowed to proceed towards Srinagar.
The SP said that over 1000 vehicles had already crossed the Jawahar tunnel by this evening and once the passenger vehicles will be cleared, the stranded trucks will also be allowed to proceed ahead. Massive traffic jams were reported in Ramban, Chanderkote, Banihal and Jawahar Tunnel area.
There was also heavy snowfall in South Kashmir’s Shopian, Kokernag, areas Pahalgam areas. It was drizzling in Srinagar this morning in Srinagar and snowing in South Kashmir.
Director Meteorological department, Sonam Lotus, said that weather will remain dry for next one week. He said that the dry weather conditions will lead to further drop in the night temperatures.
With the improvement in weather, there was relief from intense cold weather conditions that prevailed in Kashmir yesterday. The Sun came out in Srinagar this afternoon bringing some warmth.
Meanwhile, at minus 9.5 degrees Celsius, Gulmarg tourist resort was the coldest in the Kashmir, while Srinagar recorded 0.1 and Pahalgam minus 1.5 as the minimum temperatures.
The winter capital city- Jammu, recorded 7.9 degrees Celsius, Katra town 6.5, Batote minus 1.5, Banihal 0.5 and Bhaderwah 0.1 as the minimum temperatures today while the day temperature in Jammu remained 13.2 degrees C, which was about 8.2 degrees below normal.
The day temperature in Jammu on Wednesday was 20.4 degrees Celsius, indicating a sharp fall in the temperature in last 48 hours. Leh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 8.9 degrees C and maximum 3.8 deg C today. The power supply to many hilly and remote area was still snapped.
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