Srinagar: Fresh spell of snowfall on Friday resulted in closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway as well as suspension of aerial traffic for seventh consecutive day.
Authorities on Thursday shut the strategic highway for vehicular traffic after snowfall and landslides occurred at different places on the arterial road.
A traffic department official said that the roads have turned slippery due to snowfall while landslides have blocked the road at some places in Ramban.
The official said that the traffic will be restored once the weather improves and the vehicles stranded or parked on the highway will be cleared on priority.
Superintendent of Police Traffic (Rural), Muzzafar Ahmad Shah confirmed that the highway remained blocked for traffic. He said men and machinery are on the job to clear the road for traffic.
More than 1500 vehicles including heavy vehicles are stranded on the highway.
Flight operation at the Srinagar Airport remained suspended for the seventh consecutive day on Friday as all flights to and from the Kashmir valley were cancelled due to the low visibility even rain and snow lashed the valley.
No flight operations took place for the straight seventh day and all 26 flight to and from Srinagar were cancelled today, said Director Srinagar Airport, Santosh Dokhe.
It has been recorded from last week more than 180 flights have been cancelled at the Srinagar Airport leaving thousands of passengers stranded in Kashmir.
“Visibility was only 100 meters and due to the snow we have to cancel all the flights,” he further said.
Sonum Lotus, head of the Meteorological department told Kashmir Reader weather will remain dry from today till December 19.
After heavy rains on Thursday, the residents of Srinagar woke up to a thick layer of snow, third this season, when it was still continuing. The city had recorded around five inches of snow till Friday afternoon.
The snowfall threw life out of gear as the day temperature in the city plummeted several degrees, while the night temperature also marked a dip to settle at minus 1 degree Celsius, which is, however, normal during this part of the season, the officials said.
They said the snowfall was widespread in Kashmir with the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir recording over two feet of fresh snow.
Due to snowfall in Valley, normal life was affected. Melting snow inundated most of the city with vital roads and colonies flooding under this impact.
As snow melts the submerged parts of Srinagar city especially the low-lying areas close to the water channels and the river are getting dewatered, the complaint reflected by most of the residents of inundated areas is that there is lack of proper drainage system in the city.
However Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has begun de-watering the submerged areas and has pressed into the services both the mobile and stationed pumps across the city, particularly at the vulnerable points.
Both men and machines are working to ensure no civilian faces any inconvenience due to the water.
The SMC has in place 80 pumping stations. “There will be no submergence where these pump stations are working. They function round the clock,” said SMC commissioner Khursheed Ahmad Sanai.
“We appeal people to contact the liaison officers in their areas for any complaints,” Sanai added
Meanwhile, as per the official of Metrological Department there will be significant from relief in cold from today. The night temperature in Srinagar was recorded at minus 1 degree Celsius.

NAZIMA SIDIQ