Kashmir remains cut off due to heavy snowfall

Kashmir remained cut-off from the rest of the country for the second day today with road and air links to the Valley snapped due to snowfall, the heaviest in a decade in the month of January.
The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed for traffic, while no flights operated from the airport here following heavy snowfall yesterday. However, there were no reports of fresh snowfall from any part of the Valley during the night.
"The national highway is closed for traffic today. No vehicle will be allowed to ply on the road," a Traffic Department spokesman said here.
He said the 294-km arterial highway - the only road-link between Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country - was being cleared of snow and could be made motorable later in the day.

No flights to and fro Srinagar Airport operated yesterday due to continuous snowfall. However, there are chances of the airport being made operational in the afternoon.
"No flight to and fro Srinagar Airport operated in the morning. But there is a possibility of flights operating in the afternoon," an official of the Airport Authority of India said.
The Valley received a fresh spell of snowfall yesterday, which was the heaviest in the month of January in the last 10 years.
The snowfall had resulted in slightly improving the minimum temperatures, which brought a much-needed respite to the residents from the intense cold.