Srinagar, Jan 8: People continued to suffer as dozens of far-flung and remote villages — including border towns of Keran, Karnah, Machil and Tanghdar — remained cutoff for the fifth successive day on Friday due accumulation of several feet of snow.
Meanwhile, traffic to the border town of Gurez and dozens of other far-flung villages, including those near the Line of Control (LOC), remained suspended for the sixth successive day from rest of the valley due to slippery road conditions and accumulation of snow.
“Traffic remained suspended to dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including Kernah, Keran, Machil and Tanghdar, due to accumulation of several feet of snow,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, told UNI.
He said Sadhna top is under about 5 feet of snowfall while Phirkiyan pass and Z-gali received about 2 to 3 feet of snowfall earlier this week. “Snow clearance operation has been started following improvement in the weather,” he said.
However, he said the snow clearance operation will take time as the snow has frozen due to sub-zero temperature, making it difficult to put through traffic to these areas anytime sooner. “Traffic will be resumed to these areas only after clearance of the road and getting a green signal from officials deployed on the ground,” he added.
An official of Police Control Room (PCR) from Bandipora said Gurez remained closed for traffic for the sixth successive day on Friday. “Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and dozens of other areas near LoC with district headquarters Bandipora, received over 2.5 feet of fresh snowfall this week,” he said.
He, however, said it was not immediately clear if the snow clearance operation has been started as there was no contact with the official at Gurez, which remains cutoff from rest of the valley during winter months.