Gurez road closed

Bandipora, Nov 23: The Gurez-Bandipora road was closed on Saturday following fresh snowfall on Razdan Top and parts of Gurez Valley, officials said. Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Gurez, Mukhtar Ahamd told Greater Kashmir that the road was closed on Saturday after snowfall on Razdan Top and other parts of Gurez Valley.

Meanwhile, parts of Gurez including Dawar, Tulail, Kanzalwan, and Bandipora upper reaches received light to moderate snowfall on Saturday.

Officials said that the stranded vehicles on the road were allowed to move.

The officials issued an advisory to check the road status before commencing the journey on the road and urged vehicles to use anti-skid chains to avoid slippery conditions.

Meanwhile, locals demanded the administration to start helicopter services for Gurez Valley.

“Winter has started and the road has closed. With heavy snowfall, it will close for months together,” Ajaz Dar, a local, said. “Every winter, the administration starts helicopter service to the valley. This time too we are hopeful that the administration will start helicopter operation soon so that people here in winter don’t suffer.”

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Manzoor Ahmad Qadri said that the local administration had already taken up the matter with the higher authorities including the request for additional sorties.

He said that they want to make sure that the stranded passengers in Gurez and Bandipora do not suffer.

Qadri said that they had proposed three additional helipads in Gurez where six helipads in different villages already exist.

He said that they were expecting helicopters to use those helipads this season.