Snowfall in Srinagar throws life out of gear, blocks major pass

Srinagar: Sadhna top, Z-Gali and Phirkiyan pass, connecting dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), were closed again on Saturday following fresh snowfall since early this morning.Meanwhile, the Razdan pass, connecting border town of Gurez, surrounded by Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from three sides, remained closed due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions for the past about two weeks.'We have suspended traffic on Sadhna pass, Z Gali and Phirkiyan following fresh snowfall since early this morning and slippery road conditions,' a Police Control Room (PCR) official told UNI over phone from Kupwara.

About three to four inches of snowfall was experienced on these passes, he said, adding that the plains, including Kupwara, received rain.Dozens of far-flung and remote villages besides border town of Kernah, Keran, Machil and Tangdhar were cut off from Kupwara because of closure of these passes, he said. He said traffic will be resumed only after improvement in the weather and reviewing road condition.

He said on the basis of information received from Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), medium danger avalanche warning for next 24 hrs has been issued on Friday evening for Baramulla, Gulmarg, Furkian-Z Gali and Kupwara-Chowkibal-Tangdhar, Bandipora and Ganderbal in the Kashmir valley.This winter there was very less snowfall as compared to previous years when these roads remained closed for six months, he added and said this time roads to border towns of Keran, Karnah, Machil and Tangdhar remained open during the most period of winter due to less snowfall.

However, eleven people, including an officer of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), were killed in a snow avalanche at Sadhna top in January this year.Meanwhile, traffic on road connecting border areas, including Gurez and Neeru, with district headquarters Bandipora remained suspended since December last year due to accumulation of several feet of snow at Razdan top besides slippery condition.(UNI)