7 months ago
Heavy Snowfall Disrupts Travel in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh
It has been snowing a lot in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, which has caused many problems.
The main road between Jammu and Srinagar, called NH-44, is closed because of the snow.
This means no cars or buses can travel on it right now.
Also, the airport in Srinagar had to stop flights from taking off and landing because the snow made it unsafe.
Two big airlines, IndiGo and Air India, told their passengers that there might be long delays.
They said they will start flights again as soon as the weather gets better.
People are being told not to travel on the closed roads until it is safe.
In Himachal Pradesh, Shimla and Manali also got their first snow of the season, and the roads there are blocked too.
In Uttarakhand, higher areas like Kedarnath and Badrinath also received snow.
Everyone is waiting for the weather to improve so things can go back to normal.
The snow and wind have also caused power outages in many areas, making it difficult for people to get electricity.
Teams are working to fix the power lines and clear the roads, but it will take some time.
Heavy snowfall in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand has led to the closure of major roads, including the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), Mughal Road, SSG Road, Sinthan Road, and roads in Shimla and Manali.
Flight operations at Srinagar Airport have been temporarily halted due to snowfall, causing delays and cancellations, with IndiGo and Air India issuing advisories to passengers.
Authorities have advised against traveling on closed roads until conditions improve and they are declared safe, with snow clearance activities ongoing at Srinagar Airport.
Shimla and Manali recorded their first snowfall of the season, drawing tourists but also causing road blockages and advisories, with Kothi near Manali recording the highest snowfall in Himachal Pradesh at 15 cm.
In Himachal Pradesh, heavy snowfall in Lahaul-Spiti district led to the closure of several key routes, with authorities advising against travel due to deep snow and black ice, and Uttarakhand's higher reaches also receiving snowfall.
- Who
- Residents, travelers, airlines (IndiGo, Air India), authorities in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand
- What
- Heavy snowfall disrupting travel, causing road and flight cancellations, and leading to power outages
- Where
- Kashmir (Srinagar, Jammu, North Kashmir, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Bhaderwah, Batote, Patnitop, Nathatop, Vaishno Devi), Himachal Pradesh (Shimla, Manali, Lahaul-Spiti), Uttarakhand (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Auli, Chakrata, Dhanaulti, Uttarkashi)
- When
- Since late last night, continuing into the morning and expected to last for a week
- Why
- Heavy snowfall and rain leading to unsafe travel conditions and damage to infrastructure
Key facts
- Affected Areas
- Northern and southern Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), Mughal Road, SSG Road, Sinthan Road, Himachal Pradesh (Shimla, Manali, Lahaul-Spiti), Uttarakhand (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Auli, Chakrata, Dhanaulti, Uttarkashi)
- Airlines Affected
- IndiGo, Air India
- Road Closures
- NH-44, Mughal Road, SSG Road, Sinthan Road, Atal Tunnel, Koksar to Rohtang Pass, Darcha to Sarchu, Gramphu–Batal, Shinkula, Chopal–Deha road
- Flight Status
- Temporarily halted, delays expected
- Weather Conditions
- Heavy snowfall, gusty winds, slippery roads, black ice, rainfall
- Advisories Issued
- Avoid travel on closed roads, check flight status before heading to airport, postpone non-essential journeys
- Snowfall Measurements
- Gulmarg: 46 cm, Kothi (Manali): 15 cm, Gondla (Lahaul-Spiti): 12 cm, Shimla: 0.6 cm, Manali: 4.8 cm, Keylong: 4 cm, Kufri: 4 cm, Jubbal: 6 cm
- Power Outages
- Jammu region: 48% areas affected for 20 hours, Kashmir: 93 MW demand against normal 1650 MW
Timeline
Western disturbance hits India, as forecast.
Gulmarg blanketed in heavy snow, disturbance's impact.
Snowfall intensifies, engulfs Kashmir's higher reaches.
NH-44 highway shut, Srinagar flights grounded.
Quotes
Officials at the Srinagar Airport
Authorities responsible for managing and overseeing operations at Srinagar Airport
“A smooth landing at 1100 hrs ✈️ Srinagar Airport welcomes its first flight of the day. All is normal now—the big bird has returned to the valley”
livemint.com
NDTV
“A joint inspection was carried out and flight operations were resumed. Flight operations are expected to run normally and smoothly now.”
m.rediff.com
thehindubusinessline.com
livemint.com
A tourist from Patiala, Punjab
A tourist from Patiala, Punjab
“I am from Patiala, Punjab. For the first four days, we really enjoyed ourselves here, but it has been two days that we are stuck”
NDTV
Sources
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