Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 25 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday reviewed the situation of damage caused by continuous snowfall in Ramban.
Abdullah mentioned that the entire union territory had been waiting for the snowfall, which had caused trouble; however, he stated that his administration would address the challenges. The Chief Minister also informed that snow clearance on highways is progressing rapidly.
"I had stopped just to assess the situation... We were waiting for this snow. The snow has caused us a bit of trouble, but we'll manage to deal with this trouble... The work to clear the snow from the road is progressing rapidly," Omar Abdullah told reporters.
Meanwhile, several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Rajouri district, witnessed heavy snowfall this season, with the Kotranka-Budhal belt in the Pir Panjal range receiving significant snowfall, turning the region into a major attraction for tourists. Local residents said that such heavy snowfall has not been seen in nearly 25 years.
Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Sharma said that due to western disturbances, heavy snowfall has occurred in the Pir Panjal range, with maximum snowfall recorded in the Thanamandi and Kotranka sub-divisions. "During my visit to Thanamandi, basic facilities and essential services were reviewed, and their restoration was checked. Electricity restoration at Kotranka will be completed by tonight.
Vehicular movement will be within 1-2 hours. Continuous work on road traffic management is underway from early morning," he said, adding that efforts are being made to ensure uninterrupted rations, water, electricity, medical care and emergency services.
The Restoration work is underway on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and other key roads, which remained closed for the third consecutive day on Sunday following snowfall, officials said.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded at Jakhani in Udhampur on Saturday, an official said.
District Traffic Inspector (DTI) Udhampur, Vinay Gupta, told ANI a day earlier, "The National Highway has been closed since last night due to snowfall. The road has been temporarily opened for tourists heading to Patnitop. We are checking their hotel bookings and IDs before allowing them to proceed to Patnitop".
"The road to Srinagar is still closed. The Doda-Kishtwar road is also closed; restoration work is underway there," he added.