Srinagar airport battles to clear runway as heavy snowfall pounds city. See pics

As a result of extreme weather conditions, Kashmir remains cut-off from the rest of the country with the arterial Jammu-Srinagar national highway and Mughal road closed due to accumulation of snow.

Srinagar airport authorities on Wednesday continued the uphill task of clearing the runway for resuming operations amid heavy snowfall and avalanche warnings. Despite the overnight operations of clearing the runway which was thickly covered in snow, the authorities woke up to roads fully taken over by the snow once again.

Kashmiris employed by government clear snow from a flyover in Srinagar. The city has witnessed moderate snowfall for the past three days but snow clearance operations have ensured that traffic movement was going on.(AP)

“@Aaisnrairport Snow clearance job was going full night but again due heavy snow fall roads are covered with snow, however again all team escalating their work to make possible ambience for aircraft operation today .@AAI_Official @aaiRedNR,” the Srinagar international airport said in a tweet on Wednesday morning.

 

“The snow clearance is going on amid snowfall. We are taking every step to provide feasible condition to operate flight in extreme weather,” the authorities said in a tweet.

 

As a result of extreme weather conditions, Kashmir remains cut-off from the rest of the country with the arterial Jammu-Srinagar national highway and Mughal road closed due to accumulation of snow.

Thousands of vehicles, mostly trucks carrying essentials to the Valley, are stranded along the highway at various places.

Srinagar city has witnessed moderate snowfall for the past three days but snow clearance operations have ensured that traffic movement was going on. The flight operations to and from Srinagar is also suspended due to poor visibility, officials said.

Mughal Road, which connects the Valley to Jammu division through Shopian-Rajouri axis, has been closed for several days due to heavy snowfall in the region.

Avalanche warning was issued on Tuesday for higher reaches of Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara and Bandipora districts, according to the Disaster Management Authority of Jammu and Kashmir.

The authority tweeted, “Medium Level (Yellow Alert) Avalanche Warning has been issued for higher reaches of Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara and Bandipora districts, besides Waltengu Nad, South and North portals of Jawahar Tunnel, Verinag, Kapran, Chowkibal-NC Pass, Gurez, Dawar and Neeru.”