Fresh snowfall blocked roads across the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday morning, forcing authorities to close the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and cancel all flights from Srinagar International Airport as the region entered its fourth consecutive day of disruption.
Independent weather observer Faizan Arif told news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) that South Kashmir’s Shopian district received the heaviest snowfall. Plains received more than 3.5 feet of snow on Friday, while higher areas like Heerpora along the old Mughal Road received over four feet.
This is the second major snowfall the valley has seen this season during Chilla-i-Kalan, the harshest 40-day winter period in Kashmir that began on December 21 and ends on January 30. The snowfall ended an 85 percent rain shortage that started on November 1.
“The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was briefly reopened on Sunday after a two-day closure, and Tuesday’s snowfall forced authorities to shut it again,” the Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police spokesperson told Ground Report.
“Light to moderate snowfall is expected to continue across Kashmir on Tuesday, with improvement expected from the evening. Temperatures in Kashmir plains during the day are expected to rise by a few degrees,” the director of the India Meteorological Department, Mukhtar Ahmad, told Ground Report. He added that strong weather systems were bringing heavy rain and snow over the western Himalayan region.
The disruption has left villages cut off, halted air and road travel, and sparked criticism over slow snow clearance, with officials acknowledging failures in their emergency response system even as authorities work to restore normalcy across the valley.
Villages Cut Off Due To Snow
Tanveer Ahmad from Thune village of Ganderbal district expressed concern about access to emergency medical care. “The main road connecting dozens of villages has not been cleared even after days of snowfall. This is dangerous for pregnant women and very sick patients. We have no way to reach hospitals during emergencies,” he said.
Kashmir Crown Live shared a video showing residents of a village in Shopian clearing snow, reportedly to make way for a funeral procession. “We respect officials, but authorities should have deployed machines to clear the snow,” Aqib Hussan said in the video.
Farooq Ahmad Bhat from Razan village in Kangan, Ganderbal district, said electricity has been cut since Monday evening. “Early Friday, we waited for two days. Nobody came. So we started clearing the electricity wire ourselves in our area,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary acknowledged public anger over slow snow clearance. Speaking to reporters during an inspection in Srinagar, he admitted the control room set up to manage snow clearing was not functioning properly. “It was not working as I expected. We will review this and fix it,” he said.
According to the district administration, as reported by Greater Kashmir, 19.65 kilometers of the 20.85 kilometers of Priority-I roads had been cleared, but only 15.22 kilometers of the 24.92 kilometers of Priority-II roads connecting interior villages were cleared four days after the snowfall started.
“Our men and machinery have been kept on standby. We have around 510 kilometres of road length across about 18 stations in the district to maintain during snowfall,” said Executive Engineer R&B Division Ganderbal Arif Iqbal, told Ground Report.
“Hundreds of vehicles have been stranded on the 270-kilometre highway since Friday. Safety of passengers is paramount. Traffic has been stopped at holding points including Chanderkote, Ramban, and Jakhani as the road surface has turned into a virtual ice sheet,” a spokesperson added.
Flights Cancelled, Highway Closed
All flights operating from Srinagar International Airport on Tuesday were cancelled. “In view of bad weather and continuing snowfall at Srinagar Airport, airlines have cancelled most flights for today,” the Airport Authority of India posted on X.
IndiGo cancelled 16 flights alone, while 50 flights total, 25 incoming and 25 outgoing, were cancelled on Tuesday.
As per the report of Kashmir Life, an official communication issued today, Train services also stopped, with two passenger trains cancelled and the Banihal-Budgam service stopping completely. The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has remained closed for four days since Friday, with only a brief reopening on Sunday.
In Heerpora village of Shopian district, police rescued resident Danish Riyaz Ganaie after he was trapped in deep snow. Police personnel on routine patrol heard his cries for help and rushed to the spot. They provided him with first aid and sent him home safely.
Avalanche Warning, Helpline
Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Disaster Management Authority issued a high-danger avalanche warning for six districts following the fresh snowfall. Avalanches with a high-danger level are likely above 2,300 metres in Ganderbal district over the next 24 hours, while similar conditions are expected above 2,500 metres in Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban, and Kupwara districts.
Traffic police shared helpline numbers on social media: 0194-2450022, 2485396, 18001807091, and 103 for Srinagar, and 9419993745 and 1800-180-7043 for the Ramban area.
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