| Dozens of far flung, remote village remain cut off due to snowfall | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Nov 7: Dozens of roads leading to far-flung and remote town and villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), remained closed for the second consecutive day on Thursday due to heavy to very heavy snowfall.
Border towns of Keran, Karnah, Machil in Kupwara and Gurez in Bandipora district remained cut off due to snowfall.
About two to three feet of snowfall was received since Tuesday night in the upper reaches in north Kashmir, an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, said over phone on Thursday.
''It was still snowing in the upper heights,'' he said, adding that Kupwara town also received first snowfall of the season. About half a foot snow has been recorded so far and it was snowing.
Officials said due to accumulation of about two to three feet of snow, traffic on different routes, leading to far flung and remote areas, including LoC, remained suspended since yesterday.
The PCR official said three main roads of Kupwara-Karnah, Kupwara-Keran and Kupwara-Machil were closed for any vehicular movement due to two to three feet of snowfall. ''The roads are very slippery and it is still snowing,'' he added. The Sadhna top and other hills also received heavy snowfall.
Meanwhile, the Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and dozens of other areas near LoC in Bandipora district, was closed due to heavy snowfall. The road has been closed yesterday morning for any vehicular movement due to several feet of snow and slippery conditions.
The authorities have already pressed into service snow clearance machines and cutters to clear the snow and put through the road, which remained closed for six winter months in the past. The government has already approved a tunnel at Razdan pass to make it an all weather road.
The district administration in both Kupwara and Bandipora districts claimed to have already made all arrangements to meet any snow challenge, officials said, adding that snow cutters and other sophisticated snow clearance machines have been pressed into service to clear the accumulated snow. But, they said since it was still snowing, clearance operation is getting hampered.
Meanwhile, administration has stocked enough essentials, including rice, atta, sugar, LPG cylinders, medicine at areas which remained cut off during winter with their district and tehsil headquarters in both the district. |
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