Jammu and Kashmir areas experience fresh snowfall; traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway suspended

Jammu: The high altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir experienced fresh snowfall and the plains were lashed by non-stop rains, leaving the traffic on the strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway suspended on Wednesday. Snowfall in the month of March is a rare occurrence in recent years.

As per a Traffic Department official, the traffic moving from Jammu towards Srinagar was stopped at Udhampur because of the threat of landslides, especially at Panthiyal and Ramsu in Ramban district.

He added that light snowfall was witnessed at Jawahar Tunnel, which is said to be the gateway to Kashmir Valley.

"Intermittent shooting of stones from the hillock overlooking the highway was also reported near Panthiyal since morning, rendering the road unsafe," the official further said, adding the whole situation is being monitored.

The movement of vehicles would be permitted once the weather condition improves and the road is cleared of the debris. Overnight rainfall has led to water logging in many parts of the capital.  

With the help of mobile pumps, the Jammu and Kashmir administration removed the excess water accumulated on the city roads, especially in Lal Chowk and adjoining areas. 

Meanwhile, a MET department official said that snowfall in higher reaches and heavy rainfall in plains started during the night and continued till around Wednesday noon. Srinagar received moderate snowfall for around two hours, he added. 

Notably, the traffic on the 270-km-long strategic highway plies alternatively from the twin capitals of Jammu and Srinagar due to the ongoing work on the four-laning project.

As per reports, approximately four inches of snow had accumulated on the ground at Jawahar Tunnel and its peripheral areas.

Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted a 34-second video showing snowfall in Srinagar.

Banihal town, situated along the highway, received the highest 17.7 mm of rains during the last 24 hours ending 0830 hours Wednesday, a spokesman at the weather office said, adding Jammu received a rainfall of 12.8 mm during the same period.

Snowfall has caused the mercury to dip, leading to winter-like chill in the Valley. Meanwhile, light to moderate rainfall has been predicted in the Valley over the next six days.

Last week, a western disturbance (a storm system originating from the Mediterranean-Caspian Sea region and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region) over Himachal Pradesh led to more snowfall in Himachal Pradesh's Manali and Dalhousie.