Srinagar-Jammu highway to be through for one-way traffic today

Srinagar: While rains lashed the plains overnight, there was a respite from the wet spell across Kashmir on Saturday even as the weatherman predicted another wet spell from today evening.
Kashmir has been experiencing snowfall over the upper reaches and rainfall over the plains for the past many days with the meteorological centre (Met) predicting another wet spell from March 14 to and 16. However, the weather officials said on Saturday that though the fresh spell of rain and snow would not have a major impact.
“Another wet spell is expected between 14th and 16th March bringing light snow over the upper reaches and rain over the plains of Kashmir. However, this spell won’t bring widespread and consistent rains in the region like it was witnessed earlier. While the rains are expected to occur intermittently, the weather will largely remain cloudy along with occasional sunshine at times,” said Deputy Director MeT Dr Mukhtar Ahmad.
During the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, rains continued across the plains along with light snowfall over the higher reaches.
Officials said that ski-resort Gulmarg recorded about two to three inches of fresh snow during the past 12 hours till Saturday morning. Pahalgam recorded over two inches of fresh snow with Kupwara in north Kashmir receiving less snowfall of about one inch till Saturday morning since past 12 hours, said the officials.
While as, during the same period of night till Saturday morning, rainfall was received across parts of Kashmir. The officials said that Srinagar city recorded about 9 mm of rainfall with Qazigund recording about 30.8 mm of rainfall. The Pahalgam recorded 17.4 mm and Kokernag recorded about 21.2 mm of rainfall with Kupwara in North Kashmir recording rainfall of about 15.2 mm till Saturday morning since past over 12 hours, the officials said.
Due to no let-up in rains since past few days, the minimum temperatures have dipped across Kashmir valley with three places across the valley recording below sub-zero temperatures on Saturday. The weather officials said that Srinagar city recorded a low of 3.8 degree Celsius, against 2.2 degree Celsius on the previous night with Qazigund recording a low of 3.7 degree Celsius, against 3.0 degree Celsius on the earlier night.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 0.7 degree Celsius, down from 0.3 degree Celsius recorded a night before along with the mercury in Kokernag settled at a low of 2.1 degree Celsius, against 3.0 degree Celsius on the previous night, the officials said.
However, the areas of north Kashmir have been reeling under sub-zero conditions since past many days as the mercury on Saturday in ski-resort Gulmarg settled at a low of minus 2.6 degree Celsius, down from minus 2.4 degree Celsius on the earlier night. The Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.3 degree Celsius, against minus 0.2 degree Celsius of the previous night, said the officials.
Meanwhile, the traffic on the Srinagar to Jammu National Highway will ply from Jammu towards Srinagar today. Traffic Police said that subject to fair weather and road conditions, Light Motor Vehicles(LMV’s) shall be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar on Sunday.
However, it advised the commuters to undertake the journey on highway after confirming the status of the road from Traffic Control Rooms of Jammu, Srinagar and Ramban in view of the inclement weather prediction issued by the Met department. It also informed of the mudslide at Shabannass in Banihal.
The strategic highway will be thrown open for normal traffic on Sunday after remaining shut for two days, firstly due to the weekly repairs and then due to the occurrence of landslides on the highway.

Reader correspondent