Kashmir's road, rail links stay snapped for second day

Both the Srinagar-Jammu highway and the Baramulla-Banihal rail service in Jammu and Kashmir remained shut for the second day Thursday, authorities said.

No flights to Srinagar could be operated Wednesday as well due to poor visibility amid continuing snowfall.

Traffic police officials said heavy snowfall in Banihal and Patnitop areas of the over 300-km long Srinagar-Jammu national highway has hampered road clearance operations.

"No passenger should undertake journey before contacting our control rooms in Jammu and Srinagar to know about the status of the highway," an official of the traffic department said in Srinagar.

Kashmir received the season's heaviest snowfall during the past 48 hours, which disrupted road links, air connectivity, and electric and water supplies.

Although inter-district connectivity was restored by the authorities Wednesday, people in many parts of Srinagar and other towns continued to complain about the failure of the electricity department to restore power supply.

Residents of Srinagar areas like Wazir Bagh and Gogjibagh have been without power supply for the past two days.

"There has been no electricity in our area for the last two days. This has also affected the water supply in our area where most of water storage tanks have to be replenished by using electric pumps," a Gogjibagh area resident said.

"Mobile phones have also stopped functioning because of battery discharge," he said.

Similar complaints have come from most other cities and towns of the Kashmir Valley.

Even after snow clearance on major and arterial roads, drivers complained the administration has made the roads fit for just one-way traffic.

"There are no road bays where one could wait to allow the vehicles coming from the opposite direction to pass. The snow clearance machines have made the roads technically fit for just one-way traffic," said Bashir Ahmed, 35, a driver living in north Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the weather office here has forecast improvement in weather after Thursday afternoon.

"There is no possibility of any heavy snowfall from today (Thursday) afternoon. Weather will start improving from today although a weak disturbance still continues to remain active over the valley at present," Sonam Lotus, director of the Met Office here, said.

Officials at the Srinagar International Airport said flight operations would be resumed Thursday, but depending on improvement in ground visibility.