Snow in Jammu’s high-altitude areas; Mughal Road closed for traffic

Jammu, November 18: High-altitude areas in Jammu witnessed the season’s first heavy snowfall which led to closure of the Mughal Road, the alternative link between Kashmir and rest of the country, for vehicular traffic.

The day temperature in Jammu on Friday dipped six degrees below normal.

Officials said around two feet of snow had accumulated on the ground between Peer Ki Gali and Pushana, a 20-km stretch along the Mughal Road connecting Poonch district with south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

“No vehicle was allowed either from Poonch or Shopian on Saturday morning as the Mughal Road was temporarily closed for traffic due to heavy snowfall in and around Peer Ki Gali,” Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Mohammad Aslam, told PTI.

He said if weather permitted, the operation to clear the road would be carried out later on Saturday.

“The agencies concerned are ready for road clearance operation, but bad weather is hampering their efforts,” the officer said, adding no vehicle was stranded on the road.

According to officials, the 300-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the all-weather road between Kashmir and rest of the country, is open, but commuters have been asked to avoid night travel due to threat of landslides and shooting of stones.

Sinthan Top, along the Kishtwar-Anantnag road, recorded over three feet of snow since November 15, the day when over two-month-long dry spell ended in Jammu and Kashmir.

Due to the prevailing weather conditions, both day and night temperatures plummeted in most parts of Jammu region over the past few days with the city recording a low of 11.2 degrees Celsius, an MeT office spokesperson said.

He said the minimum temperature recorded at Banihal was 4.6 degrees Celsius, Bhaderwah 4.8 degrees Celsius and Batote 5 degrees Celsius.

In the past 24 hours ending 8.30 am, Jammu witnessed 0.4 mm of rain, Katra received 3 mm, Banihal 2.4 mm and Batote 1.4 mm of precipitation, the spokesperson said, adding that the day temperature in Jammu on Friday was 21.7 degrees Celsius–six notches below normal.

Amid overcast conditions, the maximum temperature is expected to remain almost same on Saturday, he said. PTI