No Fresh Bookings Till Backlog Cleared: AAI
Srinagar- With the improvement in weather, flight operations resumed at Srinagar international airport on Sunday after remaining adversely affected due to snowfall Yesterday, officials said.
“After a full day of snowfall (on Saturday) and no operations, first flight lands at our airport today,” AAI said in a tweet on Sunday.
After a full day of snowfall and no operations
First flight lands at our airport today pic.twitter.com/yQBlrGYZPy— Srinagar Airport (@SrinagarAirport) January 9, 2022
Earlier, airport authorities cleared thin layer of ice on runway to prevent aircraft from skidding.
Since January 4th, there were 134 flight cancellations to and fro Airport.
43 flights were cancelled on Saturday, 6 each could not operate on Thursday and Friday. 42 flights were cancelled on Tuesday while many as 37 could not operate on Wednesday.
“The passengers of all those flights are being accommodated now. The new bookings will open after clearing the backlog,” the AAI said.
Since Jan 4th, we have had 134 flight cancellations
The passengers of all those flights are being accommodated now
The new bookings will open after clearing the backlog https://t.co/uNg2wSc6xX— Srinagar Airport (@SrinagarAirport) January 9, 2022
Meanwhile, Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir Valley with the rest of the world, remained closed for traffic on Sunday as heavy rains and snowfall led to blockades at number of places along the 270-km stretch, officials said.
The authorities have already announced suspension of the vehicular movement on the thoroughfare and said that efforts are underway to clear it.
People have been advised not to undertake any journey on the highway till the restoration work was complete and surface was traffic worthy. The traffic plied on Friday before fresh weather system led to its closure again.
Weather Improves but mercury drops in J&K
After days of snowfall and rains, weather improved in J&K and Ladakh even as night temperature recorded a drop with mercury settling at minus 10.0°C at the world famous skiing resort of Gulmarg on Sunday.
A meteorological department official said that as expected, weather improved significantly in J&K and Ladakh. “Currently weather is partly cloudy in J&K and generally cloudy in Ladakh,” he said, adding, “Except isolated incidences of accidents, there was no report of any major weather related events during this spell of western disturbance.”
He said Srinagar, with snowfall of 4.2cms in last 24 hours till 0830 hours today, recorded a low of 0.3°C against previous night’s 0.2°C. It was 2.1°C above normal for this time of the year in the summer capital of J&K, he said.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
Gulmarg, having 15cms of fresh snowfall during the time, recorded plunge in temperature as mercury settled at minus 10.0°C against minus 4.6°C on the previous night at the world famous resort, he said.
Qazigund with 14cms of snow in the last 24 hours recorded a low of minus 0.4°C against 0.0°C on the previous night in the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir had 16.8cms of snowfall during the time and recorded a low of minus 1.8°C against minus 0.2°C on previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had 12cms of snow during the time and recorded a low of minus 2.3°C against minus 0.9°C on previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir, had 4.1cms of fresh snowfall during the time and recorded a minimum of minus 0.6°C against 0.0°C as on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu had 28.4mm rain and recorded a low of 6.8°C against previous night’s 10.6°C and normal of 7.3°C for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Banihal had 19.8cms of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 4.4°C while Batote and Bhaderwah with 24.5cms and 20.3cms of snowfall, recorded minimum of minus 1.8°C and minus 0.2°C respectively, the official said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 8.2°C against last night’s 9.7°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 7.0°C and minus7.3°C at Drass, the official said. (with GNS inputs)
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