SRINAGAR The Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface linking connecting Valley with the rest of the world, was closed while rains lashed Kashmir Valley on Monday, affecting normal life and brought down mercury during the day.
An official of the meteorological department here said Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, received 4.8 mm of rain from 0830 to 1730 hours. Due to the rains, mercury dropped to 8.7 degrees Celsius from normal of 14.2 degree Celsius for this time of the year.
Qazigund, the gate town of Valley, witnessed 9.4mm of rains and recorded maximum of 10.4 degrees Celsius while neighboring Kokernag saw 9.7mm of rain and maximum of 9.4 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort witnessed two degree Celsius, lowest among the stations recorded by the meteorological department while it had rainfall of 11 mm.
Pahalgam, the hill resort in south Kashmir, recorded 4.7 degrees Celsius and saw rainfall of 6.8mm during the day.
Meanwhile the authorities have decided to allow only stranded traffic on Tuesday.
Only stranded vehicles shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu, a traffic department official said.
Earlier a landslide blocked the strategic Highway in Ramban district as the high-altitude areas experienced fresh snowfall while the plains were lashed by rains. (GNS)
Despite incessant rains, they said the concerned agency pressed men and machines to remove the debris from the road to make it traffic worthy once again.
“The clearance operation is underway and the road is expected to be made operational within the next couple of hours,” an official of the Traffic Department said.
The traffic on the highway plies alternatively from the twin capital cities owing to the ongoing four-lane project.
The officials said the peripheral areas of Banihal, including the Jawahar Tunnel – the gateway to Kashmir, besides several other high-altitude areas including the famous ski resort of Patnitop and Kud witnessed fresh snowfall, engulfing the region in renewed cold.
The winter capital Jammu and other plains were also lashed by rains since Monday morning, resulting in considerable drop in the mercury.
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