By IANS
Srinagar : Heavy snowfall across the Kashmir valley Tuesday cut it off from the rest of the country. The strategic Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for the second consecutive day.
Fresh snowfall in the Jawahar Tunnel area and landslides in Panthiyal hampered road restoration efforts by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
“There has been nearly two feet of fresh snowfall in the Jawahar Tunnel area and one foot in Patnitop area, causing slippery conditions,” Brigadier Ashok Kumar Bhutani, chief engineer of BRO, told reporters on telephone.
“We have moved out our task force to assess the situation. The road would be re-opened as soon as the weather improves,” he said.
“All the district magistrates have been instructed to remain on high alert to monitor the situation and take immediate action in case of any eventuality,” said Mehboob Iqbal, Kashmir divisional commissioner.
“We have enough stocks of essential commodities including kerosene oil, diesel, petrol and cooking gas throughout the valley,” Iqbal added.
Widespread snowfall and rain was expected across Kashmir in the next couple of days, said T.K. Jotshi, assistant director of the weather office here.