Life in Kashmir was disrupted on the final day of the ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, the harshest winter period in the region, on Monday as fresh snowfall snapped the Valley’s connections with the rest of the world, affecting surface and air traffic besides disrupting power supply in most parts of the valley.
Moderate to heavy snowfall was recorded in the plains of Kashmir, while the higher reaches experienced heavy to very heavy falls, a Met office officials said.
The officials said Srinagar received about seven inches of fresh snowfall, Gulmarg over a foot, Pahalgam nine inches, Gurez 1.5 feet and the plains of Kupwara district around four inches. In the upper reaches, it was around one-two feet.
The snowfall started late Sunday night in most places and continued till late hours of Monday.
The snowfall brought normal life to a halt and snapped the Valley’s surface and air connectivity with the rest of the country, the officials said.
The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed for traffic due to snow and landslides at many places along the arterial road.
Train services on the Baramulla-Banihal route were suspended due to accumulation of snow on the tracks, they added.
The officials said the bad weather affected air traffic to and from the Kashmir valley as flight operations at the Srinagar airport were suspended.