PHOTO: NISSAR AHMAD

DAY OUT: Birds out in large numbers in Srinagar after snowfall on Sunday.

SRINAGAR: For the second time in the month, the Kashmir Valley was cut off from the rest of the country as the Srinagar-Jammu national highway was closed and all the Srinagar-bound flights were cancelled due to heavy snowfall since Saturday evening.

However, the road link within the valley and power supply was not affected.

People in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir woke up early morning to see a white Sunday as a fresh layer of snow had covered the whole valley.

Normal life hit

The snow continued till late in the afternoon disrupting normal life even as the main roads in the city were cleared early morning.

Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Basharat Ahmed Dhar told The Hindu that the 300 km long Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed as the snow around the Jawahar tunnel had made it slippery.

"No vehicle was allowed on either side of the road."

Heavy rain

Heavy rain between Batote and Ramban triggered mudslides at some places blocking traffic, he said.

All the Srinagar-bound flights from Delhi and Jammu were cancelled due to poor visibility. Though the runway could be made functional, no flight could land owing to the poor visibility, said an airport official.

Mr. Dhar said there were enough stocks of LPG, kerosene and other essential commodities in the Valley.

There was some problem in power supply in Budgam area which was being set right.

Tourists enjoy conditions

Reports said tourist resorts such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam in the valley also experienced fresh snowfall. A good number of tourists apparently enjoyed the conditions.

"We have hundreds of tourists particularly foreigners in these areas. They just loved it," said Mohammad Saleem Beg, Director-General Tourism.

Heavy snowfall was also reported from Paddar, Marwah and Badwan in Doda district.

However, the Doda-Kishtwar road was open to traffic.

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