Snowfall disrupts normal life in Sopore
Sopore, Jan 23: Normal life was disrupted across Sopore town and its adjoining areas on Friday following the seasonís first spell of snowfall, which began Thursday night and continued intermittently, causing widespread inconvenience to residents.
The snowfall affected daily activities in Sopore and the Rafiabad and Zaingair belts. Sopore town recorded around one foot of snow, while higher reaches witnessed moderate accumulation. Although major roads, including the Srinagar-Sopore highway, Baramulla-Sopore road, Sopore-Kupwara route and other main arteries, were cleared and reopened for traffic, several interior and link roads remained blocked.
Residents of far-flung and upper areas of Rafiabad and Zaingair reported severe difficulties due to the non-clearance of snow on interior routes.
In upper belts of Zaingair and Rafiabad, including Rampora Rajpora, Cherhaar, Muqam, Panzla, Munddaji, Chatoosa and Shutloo, road connectivity remained disrupted, leaving several localities cut off.
Locals urged the authorities to expedite snow clearance to restore access at the earliest.
In Sopore town, residents of Aadipora, Mahrajpora, Arampora, Shalimar Colony, Model Town, and the old town areas appealed to the Municipal Council to clear the inner lanes and bylanes that remained snowbound.
They said accumulated snow had made roads extremely slippery, posing serious risks to pedestrians and commuters.
ìWe urge the Municipal Council to take immediate action and clear lanes and bylanes to prevent accidents,î said Ghulam Hassan Dar of Muslim Peer, Sopore.
Meanwhile, power supply remained completely disrupted across Sopore town following gusty winds accompanied by heavy snowfall since Thursday night, adding to public hardship.
Residents appealed to the concerned departments to restore electricity and other essential services without delay.
MLA Sopore, Irshad Rasool Kar, said men and machinery had been deployed across Sub-Division Sopore from early morning to clear snow from affected routes.
He said multiple teams equipped with snow-clearing machinery were working continuously on both major roads and interior link roads.
The MLA assured that the administration is closely monitoring the situation and that by evening, all remaining main and link roads would be cleared to ensure smooth vehicular movement and relief to residents affected by the snowfall.
