SRINAGAR: The Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir witnessed moderate to heavy snowfall on Friday disrupting normal life and disconnecting Valley’s surface and air link with rest of the country.
The plains including Srinagar and upper reaches of the Valley experienced moderate to heavy snowfall from early this morning. The snowfall continued till late evening.
The tourist resorts of Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Yousmarg and Sonamarg and upper reaches including Gurez, Machil, Karnah, Keran, Sadhna Top, Qazigund witnessed heavy snowfall.
The administration took time to launch snow clearance operation and clear snow from the roads. Due to delay in clearing snow from the roads, there were traffic jams and commuters faced lot of inconveniences.
Many -inter district roads in the Valley were closed by the snowfall.
The heavy snowfall led to closure of Sadna Top, Z-Gali and Farkayan Top roads in upper reaches of border district of Kupwara. The Uri and other forward areas also remained cut-off from Srinagar.
In view of heavy snowfall, Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road link connecting Valley with rest of the country, was closed for vehicular traffic.
A traffic police official said 2 ft of snow had accumulated at some places on the highway due to which the vehicular movement on 294-kms long highway was suspended.
He said the 500 trucks and 100 passenger vehicles are stranded at Nagrota in Jammu and 250 vehicles at Qazigund in Valley.
“When the weather situation improves, we will clear the stranded vehicles,” the official said.
He said the Border Roads Organisation, which is looking after the maintenance of national highway, has pressed its men and machinery into service to make the road traffic worthy.
The Valley’s air link with rest of the country was also disconnected.
“No flights took off from Srinagar airport today due to inclement weather conditions. All 20 flights were cancelled,” an official said.
He said resumption of the flights depends on weather conditions. “If weather conditions improve tomorrow, then the flights will operate”.
Only six flights had operated from Srinagar airport yesterday while 14 were cancelled.
The railway service between Baramulla to Banihal was also suspended from 4 pm.
The heavy snowfall also led to breakdown in electricity in Valley with North Kashmir being the worst affected. Most parts of Srinagar and other parts of the Valley are without electricity.
A Metrological department official said snow and rain is expected in the Valley till tomorrow morning.
“Weather is likely to improve from Saturday evening,” he said adding occasional rain and snow is expected at isolated places in the Valley during next week.
The official said minimum temperatures in all areas of Kashmir will remain below the freezing point which may lead to slippery road conditions.
Meanwhile, Kashmir University today postponed all examinations scheduled to be held tomorrow and Sunday.
"All Kashmir University examinations, scheduled to be held on January 7 and 8, have been postponed. Fresh dates for the deferred examinations shall be notified separately," a spokesman of the university said.
He said class work for these two days shall also remain suspended in view of inclement weather conditions.
The authorities have also postponed entrance test for competitive exam coaching.
An official spokesman said due to inclement weather, the entrance test for selection of candidates for coaching of competitive examinations scheduled on January7 has been postponed and now will be held on January12.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, reviewed the post-snow situation in Kashmir at a meeting of officers here this evening.
She directed continuous and overnight snow clearance of highways, inter-district roads and connecting arteries without any break.
Mehbooba directed officials to keep the roads leading to hospitals and health centres open so that patients don’t suffer during these days.