Jammu, Jan 08 : The inclement weather has badly affected normal life in many parts of Jammu province on Saturday with Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri districts as well as parts of Reasi district and Chenab valley remaining worst affected.
The NH44 between Jammu and Srinagar remained closed for a second day on Saturday with no vehicle plying over the highway between Banihal and Qazigund.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban said that people stranded on the highway were rescued in the intervening night and are being provided both shelter and food.
He further informed about suspension of vehicular traffic on the highway on Sunday also.
“Tomorrow, traffic on Jammu Srinagar highway will remain suspended as heavy rainfall, snowfall has triggered large-scale shooting stone activity, landslides and slippery road conditions,” Deputy Commissioner said.
He added that NH44 is blocked at many places and people are advised not to undertake any journey.
Deputy Commissioner also informed about power blackout in the district and said that on Saturday evening 132 KV Udhampur -Batote- Ramban powerline was down since 06:30 pm affecting distribution supply to almost all domestic transformers in Ramban district.
On the other hand, the road between Banihal to Doda Kishtawar also got closed on Saturday evening with officials saying that a snow clearance process by NHIDCL is going on from the Banihal side.
Similarly, several link roads in areas of Chenab valley which have received heavy snowfall are closed for vehicular traffic.
Meanwhile in Rajouri and Poonch district, normal life remain disrupted due to bad weather conditions with areas in twin districts received heavy snowfall on Saturday.
“Jammu Rajouri Poonch NHW got closed due to snowfall between Bhimber Gali and Poonch while road between BG to Mendhar, BG to Balakote, Surankote to Chandimarh, Poonch to Saujiyan Loran got closed which badly affected surface traffic in entire Poonch district,” said officials of traffic police.
They further said that road from Poonch to Mendhar via Krishna Ghati also got closed on Saturday afternoon and was restored partially till late evening hours but no vehicle was allowed to move on road.
In Rajouri district, vehicular traffic on Rajouri Kotranka, Kotranka Budhal, Kotranka Khawas, Khawas Moughla, Thanamandi DKG, Manjakote BG, Manjakote Tarkundi roads got close for traffic due to snowfall on Saturday morning with some of the roads were restored partially for traffic but others are still lying close.
Officials said that efforts to restore all roads for traffic are going on but main problem at this point is of power crisis as majority of areas in Poonch district and almost half of the areas in Rajouri are under electricity snag.
Authorities on the other hand also carried out a rescue operation after an ambulance carrying a body got stuck in snowfall on Mendhar BG road.
“This ambulance was moving on BG Mendhar road when it got stuck near Dhargaloon following which a rescue operation was launched,” said officials.
They informed that initially police personnel carried the body on their shoulders and walked over snow covered road for more than one kilometers before shifting the person in ambulance—(KNO)
