Home

Tsunami & After

Back to Index

Srinagar-Jammu Highway remains
closed due to snowfall
by Bilal Butt

    Srinagar/New Delhi: The 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar Highway, connecting the valley to the rest of the country, continued to remain closed to traffic for the fourth consecutive day following heavy snowfall and rain since Sunday. Fresh landslides near Ramban, Ramsu and Kalam Morh yesterday have hampered the efforts of the Border Roads Organisation to reopen roads. The traffic was also disrupted on other roads, including the Jammu-Rajouri and Batote-Doda highways. Hundreds of vehicles, especially trucks were stranded on the highway on the either side of Jawahar Tunnel where about two-and- a-half feet of snow was reported to have amassed. Light to moderate snowfall was reported on Tuesday from Trikuta Hills and high peaks in Doda, Udhampur and Poonch districts. Many natural lakes, including the famous Kailash lake atop Kailash Hills in Doda district, have also frozen.

   Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, people complained that the authorities were not doing enough to clear the snow-blocked roads. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded at the tourist hotspot Manali. Normal life in the tribal area of Kinnaur and Spiti were also affected due disrupted power supply in the past 72 hours. In Ladakh, more than two feet of snow has accumulated at Khardongla and six inches at Chandgla. Disrupted power and water supply has also affected the normal life here. The Kulu-Rohtang road also remained closed as vehicles were plying only till Patlikuhl, 20 km from Kulu. However, traffic was plying on the left bank of the Beas. Minimum temperature, however, has increased slightly in the region. According to the Met department, night temperature in Delhi went up to 14.4 degree Celsius on Wednesday, the highest this winter. The road gets blocked every time there is snowfall in the winters or landslides due to heavy rains. Also, tourism, the mainstay of the State, has been hit badly by snapping of road links.
-Jan 18, 2006

Leading Indian News Papers

Overseas Tourist
Offices

Tourist offices
in India

Helpline