J&K Updates

Srinagar: Dozens of far flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), remained closed for the second successive day on Saturday due to accumulation of snow.
Border areas of Keran, Karnah, Machil in Kupwara district and Gurez in Bandipora district were cutoff due to heavy snowfall on Friday after reopening earlier this week as the roads to these areas were closed for traffic for about 13 days.
An official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, told UNI over the phone on Thursday that due to accumulation of snow, traffic on different routes, leading to far flung and remote areas, including near Line of Control (LoC), remained suspended since Friday
He said three main roads of Kupwara-Karnah, Kupwara-Keran and Kupwara-Machil were closed for any vehicular movement due to several inches to about one foot of snowfall. “The roads are very slippery due to snow coupled with below normal temperature,” he said.
“Authorities have already started snow clearance operations to clear snow on these roads and put through traffic to these remote areas,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and dozens of other areas near LoC in Bandipora district, remained closed due to snowfall. “The road remained closed for any vehicular movement for the second day due to over 1.5 feet of fresh snow and slippery conditions,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Bandipora, told UNI.
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. The government has already approved a tunnel at Razdan pass to make it an all weather road.
The district administrations in both Kupwara and Bandipora districts have already made all arrangements to meet any challenge, officials said, adding snow cutters and other sophisticated snow clearance machines have been pressed into service to clear the accumulated snow. But, they said since it was still snowing, clearance operation is getting hampered.
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.
Roads to dozens of far flung and remote villages, including border towns of Keran and Karnah reopened on Monday after remaining closed for three days due to slippery road conditions and accumulation of snow. While, the Kupwara-Machil and Gurez-Bandipora roads in north Kashmir reopened earlier this week after remaining closed for about 13 days since November 6.

(This story has not been edited by jkupdate staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)