LMVs allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar today, only stranded HMVs

Srinagar: Higher reaches of Kupwara district received some snowfall while light rain was recorded in the plains of Kashmir valley on Monday. The intensity of precipitation is expected to increase significantly on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the forecast by the meteorological (Met) office in Srinagar.

The MeT office has already issued an advisory regarding the heavy snowfall or rainfall Tuesday and Wednesday.

MeT officials said that on Monday, upper reaches of Kupwara district including Karnah, Gurez and Z-Gali received four to five inches of snowfall. There wasn’t any snowfall in any other part of the valley, they said.

The plains of Kashmir valley received light rainfall on Monday with Srinagar city recording about 1.1 cm of rainfall and Qazigund recording about 0.6 mm of rainfall on the 24 hours up to Monday evening, the officials said.

Pahalgam received about 7.6 mm of rainfall, Kokernag 0.8 mm, and Kupwara 9.4 mm of rainfall till Monday evening. Gulmarg received comparatively more rainfall of about 10.6 mm during the same period.

The Valley is unlikely to get any respite from the wet-spell during the next two days as the weather department has predicted the occurrence of moderate to heavy snowfall or rainfall across Kashmir for Tuesday and Wednesday.

In addition to this, the department has also warned that the precipitation is as likely to disrupt surface traffic on Jammu to Srinagar National Highway, Srinagar to Leh National Highway (Zojila Pass), Leh-Manali Highway, Mughal Road and Sadhna Pass, mainly between 6th and 7th April. There is also the possibility of water logging problems in low-lying areas of Kashmir valley.

Amid the wet-spell, minimum temperatures increased marginally across Kashmir on Monday. The weather officials said that Srinagar city recorded a low of 7.2 degree Celsius, which was the same as recorded on the previous night, while Qazigund recorded a low of 7.2 degree Celsius, up from 4.2 degree Celsius on the earlier night.

Pahalgam recorded a low of 4.8 degree Celsius, sharply up from 1.0 degree Celsius recorded a night before. Kokernag recorded a low of 5.7 degree Celsius, higher than the 4.0 degree Celsius recorded on the previous night.

However, Gulmarg reeled under sub-zero temperatures after recording a low of minus 0.6 degree Celsius against minus 0.5 degree Celsius on the earlier night.

Kupwara recorded a low of 5.2 degree Celsius, against minus 2.5 degree Celsius of the previous night.

Traffic on the Srinagar to Jammu National Highway will ply from Jammu towards Srinagar on Tuesday. The traffic department said that subject to fair weather and road conditions, Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) shall be allowed from Jammu towards Srinagar on Tuesday.

It, however, advised commuters to take prior confirmation about the status of the road before travelling on the highway from Traffic Control Rooms of Jammu, Srinagar and Ramban due to the inclement weather prediction issued by the Met department.

For Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs), the department said that the vehicles shall be allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) between 8 AM in the morning and 1 PM and subsequently from Jakheni (Udhampur) between 9 AM and 12 PM towards Srinagar.

For Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs), it said, “Only stranded vehicles in Udhampur jurisdiction shall be allowed towards Srinagar.”

Reader correspondent