Kashmir: Dozens of far-flung, remote areas cutoff due to snowfall

About 1 to 1.5 feet of snowfall was received since Friday night in the upper reaches in north Kashmir, an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, told UNI over phone on Saturday.

''Sadna Top received about 1.5 feet of fresh snowfall since last night while Z-gali recorded 1 foot of fresh snow,'' he said.

He said due to accumulation of over 1 to 1.5 feet of snow, traffic on different routes, leading to far-flung and remote areas, including LoC, have been suspended.

Three main roads of Kupwara-Karnah, Kupwara-Keran and Kupwara-Machil were closed for any vehicular movement due to accumulation of snow. ''The roads are very slippery and it is still snowing in the upper reaches,'' he added.

Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and dozens of other areas near LoC with district headquarters Bandipora, was also closed due to snowfall. The road has been closed this morning for any vehicular movement due to several inches of fresh snow and slippery conditions.

The authorities have already pressed into service snow clearance machines and cutters to clear the snow and put through the road, which remained closed for six winter months in the past. But, he said about 80 per cent of the road has been damaged and it is highly unlikely that these areas will be reconnected to district headquarters before March.

The government has already approved a tunnel at Razdan pass to make it an all weather road.

Administration has stocked enough essentials, including rice, atta, sugar, LPG cylinders, medicine at areas which remained cut off during winter with their district and tehsil headquarters in both the district.