Srinagar, Jan 11: The chilly weather conditions have further intensified with the Mercury during the night settling several degrees below freezing point across Kashmir valley, where world famous health resort of Pahalgam was the coldest place at minus 11.1 degree.
A Met department spokesperson said the weather will remain dry during the next four days in Kashmir valley. “Due to open skies, the minimum temperature is expected to dip further though day temperature is expected to improve due to sunshine,” he added.
Even though there was slight improvement in the night temperature, Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, was the coldest place at minus 11.1 degree, which is 4 degree below normal.
The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg was the only place in the valley where the minimum temperature settled above normal. Against minus 10 degree recorded on Wednesday, the night temperature at the ski resort settled at minus 7 degree, which is about a degree above normal. “Despite chilly weather conditions due to ice cold winds, the tourists are out on ski slopes enjoying different snow related activities. All the ski slopes have been thrown open for tourists,” a hotelier from Gulmarg told UNI over the phone.
The night temperature at Qazigind, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kokernag dipped and settled at minus 10 degree, minus 6.7 degree and minus 10.3 degree, respectively.

Will take 3 days to setup Bailey Bridge in Ramban : BRO
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jan 14: The 270 kms long Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for 4th successive day on Thursday and Border Roads Organization (BRO) said it would complete setting of Bailey bridge near Kela Morh in next three days to restore connectivity between the twin capital cities.
A portion of the highway sank near Kela Morh in Ramban district after a concrete retaining wall of a bridge collapsed on Sunday evening.
The bailey bridge is being launched by BRO, as an interim measure, to restore connectivity between Srinagar and Jammu.
Commanding Officer 99 RCC Vinyak Project Beacon said it will take two to three days more to setup Bailey bridge.
“Heavy vehicles carrying essential supplies can also be allowed to cross over the bridge,” he said.
He said it will provide relief to the hundreds of vehicles carrying essentials to cross into the valley.
Officials of National Highway Authority of India, the road construction and maintaining agency, had earlier said that the “Repairing by concrete filling and settling of the concrete for making it (highway) motorable may take approximately 10 days”.
Today was the 4th day of closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Over 5000 vehicles, including those carrying essentials and oil tankers, remained stranded at different places on the highway.
Several thousand empty trucks, oil and gas tankers are stranded on this side of the Jawahar tunnel.
A passenger who was travelling in his car alongwith wife, two children and mother said they had to return back to Banihal after the bridge was damaged.
“However, on Monday we travelled from Banihal to Kela Morh bridge and later crossed a nallah on foot to reach other side, where vehicles were available for Ramban. Similarly other passengers from both sides also crossed the nallah on foot to reach other side before boarding vehicles for their destination. However, the passenger alleged that they were charged Rs 300 per person from Banihal to Kela Bridge. There was nobody from the administration to guide the stranded passengers,” he alleged and said only few police personnel had blocked the road from both sides of the bridge.
The historic 86-km-long Mughal road and Anantnag-Kishtwar roads remained shut since last week of December, 2020 due to accumulation of snow while the highway, the only road linking Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir has been closed for winter months.
Due to the continued closure of only road link connecting Kashmir with rest of the world, the prices of essential commodities and vegetables has gone up in Valley. (KNS)

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jan 14: Observing that government is working with an agenda of equitable and balanced development, Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT) Lt Governor Manoj Sinha Thursday said all necessary measures are being taken to address the concerning issues of the people.
Political activist and President Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party (JKWP) Mir Junaid today called on Sinha at Raj Bhavan, here.
He submitted a memorandum of issues and demands to the Lt Governor highlighting various important political and socio-economic issues related to welfare of the marginalized and under privileged sections of the society, drug de-addiction and infrastructural development.
Another Political activist and former Vice Chairman J&K Cements Er Nazir Ahmad Yatoo also called on Lieutenant Governor and apprised him of various issues of public importance pertaining to Forest Rights Act, compensation to affected farmers of Srinagar Ring Road in Wathora area of Budgam district and setting up of maternity hospital in Chadoora Sub-division of Budgam.
The Lt Governor observed that the Government is working with an agenda of equitable and balanced development, besides taking all necessary measures to address the concerning issues of the people of J&K.
He assured the political activists that the genuine issues projected by them would be taken up for their early redressal and urged them to continue working towards promoting the welfare of the people.

Precious Kashmir News
Katra, Jan 14: Taking a major leap towards creating a robust response mechanism to address the queries and grievances regarding Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Thursday inaugurated a hi-tech, round the clock Call Centre for devotees of the shrine at Spiritual Growth Centre, Katra.
Terming the Call Centre as yet another initiative of the Shrine Board towards optimum utilization of available technologies for larger facilitation of the pilgrims, the Lt Governor said that the first such facility put in place by the Shrine Board, will be of immense help to the devotees worldwide, as their queries and grievances in regard to the pilgrimage will be addressed by providing them information sought for on real-time basis.
Underscoring the significance of the new facility, the Lt Governor observed that the initiative is aimed at providing much needed assistance to the pilgrims to plan their visit to this most revered Holy Shrine, keeping in view the prevailing weather conditions, yatra status, availability of helicopter services, battery operated vehicles, accommodation and other facilities at any given point of time, making their yatra experience more pleasant and memorable.
The devotees can enquire about the booking and other facilities made available by the Shrine Board and can also contact in case of any emergency or for any medical help during the Yatra, he added.
The Lieutenant Governor directed the Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board for adopting the available technologies and taking various innovative measures for making continuous improvement and extending all requisite facilities to ensure best possible arrangements for the visiting pilgrims.

President to launch Polio immunisation on Jan 30

New Delhi, Jan 14: India will roll out the world’s largest immunisation drive on Saturday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the massive countrywide COVID-19 vaccination drive.
In view of the COVID-19 inoculation drive, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in consultation with the President’s office has rescheduled the Polio vaccination day, also known as the National Immunisation Day (NID) or “Polio Ravivar” to January 31.
The President Ram Nath Kovind will launch the Polio National Immunisation Day on January 30 by administering Polio drops to some children at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the forenoon.
The decision is in keeping with the stated policy of the Health Ministry to ensure that COVID management and vaccination services as well as non-COVID essential health services proceed in tandem without adversely impacting each other, an official release said here on Thursday.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Jan 14: Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday recorded three more deaths due to COVID-19 taking the death toll to 1,915 in the Union Territory while as 79 positive cases were reported taking the tally of positive cases to 122,964 in J&K.
The three Covid deaths came a day after none died of the pandemic in the past seven months in J&K UT.
Of the exact number of 122,964 cases, 72,001 are from Kashmir and 50,963 from Jammu division.
Officials said among 79 new cases, 49 belong to Kashmir division while as 30 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division have reached to 72,001 including 70,048 recoveries and 1,203 deaths while as total number of positive cases in Jammu division have reached to 50,963 including 49,533 recoveries and 712 deaths.
They said total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 1,468 including 750 from Kashmir division and 718 from Jammu division.
With 237 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached to 119,581 which is 97.25 percent of the total cases.
Notably, in the last 24-hours three persons who were tested positive for COVID-19 have died, who all belong to Kashmir division.
As per the daily information bulletin, 985,055 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 32,662 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 1,468 persons are in isolation.
According to the bulletin, 905,089 persons have completed surveillance period and 43,921 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 4,188,783 samples are available.
Out of 4,188,783 the number of samples tested negative stands at 4,065,819 while as 122,964 have tested positive, among them 1,468 persons are active, 119,581 persons have recovered and 1,915 persons have died.