Kashmir engulfed in snow again, air traffic disrupted

Srinagar: The fifth spell of snowfall engulfed Kashmir Valley in a white blanket on Sunday, causing disruption of air traffic. The snowfall began early on Sunday as was predicted by the Meteorological Department. The fall of varying intensity was received across the Kashmir valley, including in the city, as well as at various tourist resorts of the region. In Srinagar, the snowfall was light and continued intermittently. By afternoon, several inches of snow had accumulated in the city. Tourist resorts of Pahalgam in south Kashmir and Gulmarg in north Kashmir were also engulfed in a white blanket. It was the fifth spell of snowfall in the ongoing winter season. The fourth spell was received earlier this week, while the first spell was received in November’s first week, which signalled an early arrival of winter. Kashmir Valley is witnessing a bitter winter season, which has been marked by frequent spells of snowfall as well as drastic fall in night temperatures. The latest spell of inclement weather caused a major disruption of air traffic as multiple flights were cancelled and others were delayed. At least 16 flights scheduled to arrive at and depart from the Srinagar airport were cancelled and at least one was diverted. The flow of traffic along the Srinagar-Jammu highway, a crucial route for essential supplies to Kashmir Valley, also remained disrupted even as the vehicles which were stranded for the last several days were allowed to head towards Srinagar. Stranded vehicles which were allowed to travel towards Srinagar included trucks and tankers carrying essential supplies, including petrol. Two other roads leading out of Kashmir Valley – the Mughal Road in south Kashmir and Srinagar-Leh highway – remain shut during the winter season due to the accumulation of heavy snow along its mountainous passes. — TNS

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