Kashmir returning to normal after heavy snowfall disrupts life

Srinagar, Dec 29: Life in Kashmir is returning to normal with flight operations resuming and several roads cleared for traffic on Sunday as the Jammu and Kashmir government deployed men and machinery to restore services following heavy snowfall that disrupted connectivity the previous day.

The snowfall, dubbed as among the heaviest in recent memory, began Friday evening and continued into Saturday, leading to significant challenges to normal life.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday commended the efforts of various departments involved in the restoration process, highlighting the swift action taken to minimise disruptions.

In a post on X, he praised the Power Department for effectively managing outages caused by the snow, noting a drastic dip in electricity supply between 4 am and 10 am.

"From 10 AM, the demand started recovering as the system was brought back online," he posted, extending gratitude to the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited for their efforts.

Abdullah also lauded the Roads and Buildings Department for their effective snow clearance operations. "They moved quickly to open main roads and continued their efforts on smaller roads and inner lanes," he added.

By Sunday morning, air traffic at the Srinagar International Airport had resumed, with officials from the Airports Authority of India confirming the operations were back to normal following safety checks and runway clearance.

"The flights to Srinagar have resumed, and we expect normal operations," an AAI official stated.

The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, crucial for connecting the Valley with the rest of the country, was also reopened for vehicular traffic after a daylong closure.

Officials said that stranded vehicles were being cleared, and passenger traffic was now flowing.

However, commuters were advised to exercise caution, particularly between Banihal and Qazigund, where roads remained slippery.

Several key interdistrict routes, including the Mughal Road, Sinthan Pass and Sonamarg-Kargil inter-UT road, continue to be closed due to heavy snow accumulation. Authorities are actively working to clear these routes and restore access.

The Mughal Road, which serves as an alternative link to the Kashmir Valley from Jammu region's Poonch district, remained shut due to snow accumulation, officials said.

Similarly, the Sinthan Pass in Kishtwar has been closed for vehicular traffic due to heavy snowfall.

The snowfall significantly impacted air, rail and road traffic on Saturday. which were suspended alongside the closure of the highway on Saturday.