M A I N   N E W S

Jammu-Srinagar highway blocked
Tribune News Service and Agencies

Jammu, January 15
The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway was today closed to vehicles following fresh snowfall and landslides triggered by rains.

The Jammu-Srinagar flights were also cancelled due to bad weather.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Udhampur-Doda) Satvir Gupta said over 1 feet of snow had accumulated at Banihal, while landslides caused by rains had occurred at several places on the Jammu-Srinagar road.

He said hundreds of vehicles, including passenger buses and trucks, were stranded.

Mr Gupta said Marwah, Warwah and Dachhan areas of Doda district also experienced fresh snowfall today.

Rains between Batote and Ramban also triggered mudslides at some places, blocking the road.

This was the second time in the past fortnight that Kashmir valley was cut off from rest of the country.

Tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam were buried under 4 to 5 feet of snow.

Srinagar, Baramula, Pulwama, Anantnag, Budgam and other places received moderate to heavy snowfall, which began last evening.

SRINAGAR: More than 120 passengers heading for Kargil have been stranded here for the past two weeks, after the helicopter service to the border town was suspended.

“We are going to airport almost daily but have to return every evening,” passenger Ghulam Nabi said, adding that many Kargil-bound passengers had to borrow money from friends here, while others had to sell their belongings in order to survive.

Mr Nabi added that after getting boarding cards and going through the security check at the airport yesterday, Kargil-bound passengers were informed that the flight had been cancelled.

“This has become routine for the past two weeks and going to the airport and returning in the evening is very costly,” he said while informing that the stranded passengers had to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha at the airport itself.

The passengers said that last year, the authorities had arranged N-32 sorties to Kargil for the stranded passengers. However, this time, they alleged that N-32 was operating from Chandigarh to Kargil only for defence personnel.

SHIMLA: Normal life was affected in the tribal belt and other higher areas of the state following incessant snow and rain over the past 24 hours.

According to reports reaching here, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Pangi, Dodra Kawar, Churdhar and Dhauladhar ranges are experiencing heavy snow since last night. Keylong, the district headquarters of Lahual-Spiti, had received 50 cm of snow by this afternoon, while Rohtang had recorded 140 cm. Pooh and other higher reaches of Kinnaur had 40 to 60 cm of snow. The district administration had closed schools in Lahaul Spiti for Monday as a precautionary measure as snowfall is still continuing.

Solang Nullah, Manali and Narkanda are having intermittent snow since morning. By the evening, Solang Nullah had recorded 45 cm of snow and Manali 15 cm. The road on the left bank of the Beas, leading to Manali, has been closed due to snow.

Churdhar and Dhauldhar ranges wore an impeccable white mantle as a thick layer of snow covered every inch of the towering mountain ranges. The road leading Rohru was blocked at Kharapathar, which had 20 cm of snow. Narkanda in Shimla district had 10 cm of snow but the Hindustan Tibet Road was still open. The 11,500 ft Hatu peak overlooking Narkanda had over 100 cm of fresh snow.

The city and surrounding areas are having intermittent rain since morning. Solan, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Palampur and other lower hill areas of the state also experienced widespread rain, which is considered beneficial for the rabi crop. However, the apple growers were still praying to the weather god for snow, which is considered as white manure for the orchards.

RECKONG PEO: Normal life has been paralysed here and in surrounding areas following moderate to heavy snowfall since Saturday night, while lower areas witnessed moderate rainfall amid chilly winds. This is the second spell of snowfall in the current season. Due to the snowfall, the National Highway-22 has been blocked at many places beyond Kharo in the upper areas of Kinnaur district.