Kupwara upper reaches remain cut off from district headquarters for 2nd day

Kupwara, Dec 22: The upper reaches of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district remained cut off from the district headquarters for the second consecutive day on Monday, leaving residents stranded and daily life severely disrupted following fresh snowfall.

Areas including Karnah, Machil, Keran, Budnamal, Jumagund, Kumkadi and other higher reaches continued to remain inaccessible, with road links blocked and passenger movement completely suspended. The prolonged closure has caused inconvenience to commuters and added to the hardships of people living in these remote areas.

Residents of Machil said the snowfall has brought normal life to a standstill. Habibullah, a local resident, said people were facing immense difficulties due to the closure of the only road connecting the area with the rest of the district. He added that Machil was reeling in the dark as the electricity supply had been snapped. “Power Development Department officials are working to restore electricity, but it may take another day for the supply to be fully restored,” he said.

Similar concerns were voiced by residents of Karnah, who said the entire area was without power. “We are really suffering due to the lack of electricity, and the road blockade has compounded our miseries,” Ashfaq Ahmad, a local resident, told this correspondent over the phone.

Meanwhile, the district administration said efforts were underway to clear snow and restore connectivity. A senior officer from the Kupwara administration said men and machinery had been pressed into service and snow clearance operations were in progress on roads leading to all upper reaches, with restoration of traffic being taken up on priority.