*Power supply hit in many Jammu areas
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Nov 15: Heavy rain across J&K and snowfall on the higher reaches have registered significant drop in temperature while Mughal road and Srinagar-Leh highway have been closed due to fresh snowfall.
Today’s rain exposed the tall claims and winter preparedness of the Power Development Department as electricity supply remained snapped for over 7-10 hours in Jammu City and many other towns and rural area of Jammu province.
Hundreds of heavy vehicles including load carriers left for Srinagar from Jammu today as only one-way traffic continued on the National Highway due to bad road conditions. However, only light motor vehicles from Srinagar side were allowed by the Traffic Police authorities. The movement of passenger vehicles at Jawahar Tunnel was suspended after more snowfall and slippery road conditions late this evening.
Click here to watch video
Chief Engineer, M&RE Jammu Gurjeet Singh said that during the day today, the power supply from Sarna in Punjab to Kishanpur receiving station and also to Burn Station was snapped. Moreover, with the rain, over 351 power feeders, out of total 1074 were damaged in the region. He claimed that over 50 % feeders were restored by the staff by 8 pm tonight.
Rain in Ramban- Banihal sectors started in the evening. However, slow movement of vehicles continued up to 8 pm despite light snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel area, SSP Traffic NH JS Johar said.
He further said that in view of the slippery road conditions, the movement of vehicles was expected to stop any time in Jawahar Tunnel area. There were reports of about 3-4 inch snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel area. The movement of passenger vehicles was stopped in the area as precautionary measures after 8 pm, he added.
Official sources said that Srinagar-Leh National Highway and Mughal road remained closed for the second successive day today. These roads were closed due to snowfall in Zojila and Gumari area and also at Pir Ki Gali between Poonch and Shopian. Hundreds of vehicles were said to have stranded at both the places due to closer of these roads.
A MeT spokesman said that due to Western Disturbances, the weather has been affected in Jammu and Kashmir for the last two days. He predicted heavy snowfall on the higher reaches across J&K overnight and heavy rain. However, he claimed that weather will improve from tomorrow afternoon.
Jammu recorded a sharp fall of nearly 9 degrees Celsius of temperature in just last two days with the rain and snowfall across the region. The winter capital recorded a maximum temperature of 19.7 degree C while minimum 14.7 degree C today. Tomorrow, a minimum of 11 Deg C temperature has been predicted by the MeT office.
Helicopter service from Katra base camp to Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine remained suspended due to bad weather while holy town recorded season’s lowest temperature today.
The people in Jammu and other adjoining areas have taken out full woollen clothes in view of cold wave which has engulfed the region. Due to heavy rain, the normal life remained out of gear while, downpour created water logging at many places on the roads and affected smooth movement of traffic this evening. The power and water supply in most of the City areas remained badly hit. Power supply could not be restored even after 10 hours in the city.
Official spokesman said that despite wet weather, the traffic on the highway resumed on Saturday after remaining closed for a day on Friday due to maintenance of the road. The UT Government has ordered the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway on every Friday till November 30 to allow agencies, responsible for the maintenance and widening of the highway, to undertake necessary work for smooth plying of vehicles during winter.
In view of the forecast for snowfall during the next 24 hours in Jammu and Kashmir which could affect surface and air traffic, the authorities have put in place all necessary arrangements, including Disaster Management Centres (DMC) at different places on the Srinagar-Jammu highway to accommodate passengers and truckers in case the road is closed due to landslides, shooting stones and snow in winter.
A report from Kargil said that Srinagar-Leh highway remained closed for the second successive day today following snowfall at Sonamarg, Zojila pass, Meenmarg and Drass, the second coldest place in the world.
An official spokesman said no vehicle was allowed from Sonamarg side, in Ganderbal district due to slippery road conditions. “Traffic will be resumed only if there is an improvement in the weather and snowfall stops,” he added.
Meanwhile, Traffic Police Ladhakh has issued an advisory for all the passengers/ travellers to plan their journey after proper confirmation from the Traffic Police control Room and from concerned officers of whom the contact numbers have already been circulated.
A Government spokesman said that traffic on Mughal road, which is considered as an alternative road between Srinagar-Jammu, remained suspended for the second day today following snowfall on Saturday.
“The road has become slippery due to snowfall at Pir Ki Gali and Poshana area ,” he said, adding there is a forecast for more snowfall tonight.
Traffic will be resumed only after there is an improvement in the weather and road become safe for the journey.
Meanwhile, reports from Srinagar said that snowfall continued for the second successive day today in world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, tourist resort of Sonamarg and other upper reaches while rain lashed plains in Kashmir valley, resulting in dip in the temperature.
A MeT department spokesperson said widespread moderate rain and snow would continue during the next 24 hours in Kashmir valley under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. “Rain and snow would occur on Monday at several places, particularly in the upper reaches, in the Valley,” he said.
However, he said the weather will improve from Tuesday onwards though a fresh WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea is approaching the region, through Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Trees and hotels and house tops besides open fields have turned white due to intermittent snowfall since Saturday morning in Gulmarg, much to the delight of tourists. About a foot of snow has accumulated in the ski resort, which was the only place in the Valley with below freezing night temperature.
Khilanmarg and Affarwat, the highest skiing point connected by Gandola Cable Car (GCC) from base camp, have received about 2 feet of snow since Saturday. “Despite chilly weather conditions and incessant snowfall, tourists are out on the ski slopes, enjoying themselves. Hopefully, more tourists will throng to Gulmarg due to early snowfall,” a hotelier said.
Tourist could be seen enjoying snow fight and other activities, including horse riding in the ski resort. “Witnessing snowfall for the first time was the best Diwali gift I have received in my entire life. When we decided to visit Kashmir, we were a bit skeptical, but since we have arrived here everyone (locals) has been very kind and helpful,” a tourist from Mumbai said.
The other upper heights in North Kashmir, including border areas of Keran, Karnah, Gurez, Tangdhar and Machil also experienced snowfall since Friday night. Intermittent snowfall was also witnessed in the world famous health resort of Sonamarg on Srinagar-Leh National Highway, which remained closed for second successive day for traffic due to acumination of snow. The upper reaches in Ganderbal and Kangan in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal also experienced snowfall since Saturday.
Pahalgam also received snowfall for the second successive day on Sunday.
The holy Amarnath cave shrine and its periphery besides Panjterni, Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top and Chandanwari on traditional yatra route from base camp Pahalgam also experienced snowfall.
Barring the summer capital, Srinagar, many areas in plains received intermittent incessant rain, resulting in dip in the maximum temperature. The weather was chilly in the city as the sky remained cloudy throughout the day.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
