Traffic from both sides on highway today

Srinagar: Several parts of Kashmir valley were lashed by rainfall on Monday while the weatherman predicted improvement in weather and no rain till this weekend across the valley.
Earlier, the meteorological (Met) department had said that there was likelihood of wet spell across Kashmir valley between 28th and 29th of March, having its impact mainly over the higher reaches of the valley along with a few plain areas. However, on Monday, widespread rainfall was received across higher reaches and plains of the valley.
According to weather officials, Srinagar city recorded about 5 mm of fresh rainfall while as Qazigund recorded 2.6 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours up to Monday evening. Pahalgam recorded about 19 mm of rainfall with Kupwara recording over 21 mm of rainfall in the same period, officials said.
Gulmarg recorded major rainfall of about 35 mm till Monday evening with Kokernag in south Kashmir recording 5.2 mm of rainfall during the same period.
The weather is likely to improve across Kashmir valley from Tuesday onwards, weather officials said. “The weather will start improving by Monday night followed by significant improvement till morning. As a result, the weather is likely to remain dry for next few days till 4th April across Kashmir valley. It seems that there is no possibility of any wet spell till that period,” Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Deputy Director of the Meteorological Department in J&K, told Kashmir Reader.
With the rainfall, minimum temperatures flip-flopped in several parts of Kashmir valley on Monday. The weather officials said that Srinagar city recorded a low of 11.2 degree Celsius, against 12.2 degree Celsius on the previous night, while Qazigund recorded a low of 12.1 degree Celsius, up from 8.2 degree Celsius on the earlier night.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 7.0 degree Celsius, against 6.9 degree Celsius recorded a night before, and Kokernag recorded a low of 10.7 degree Celsius, against 7.2 degree Celsius on the previous night.
Gulmarg recorded the lowest temperature in Kashmir with mercury settling at a low of 1.5 degree Celsius, against 2.0 degree Celsius on the earlier night. Kupwara recorded a low of 8.7 degree Celsius, against 7.7 degree Celsius of the previous night.
There will be two-way traffic on Tuesday on the Srinagar to Jammu national highway, the traffic department said, subject to fair weather and better road conditions. Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) shall be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar from Nagrota (Jammu) between 5 AM to 11 PM and from Jakheni (Udhampur) between 6 AM to 12 PM during the day. Similarly, from Kashmir, the vehicles shall be allowed from Zig (Qazigund) between 7 AM in the morning till 12 PM in the afternoon towards Jammu, said the officials.
Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) shall be allowed from Zig (Qazigund) towards Jammu after tail of up LMVs crosses Banihal.

KALEEM GEELANI