Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including border towns of Keran, Karnah, Tanghdar and Machil, were again cutoff on Thursday in north Kashmir due to slippery road conditions following a fresh snowfall.
Meanwhile, traffic to the border town of Gurez, which is surrounded by Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) from three sides, remained suspended since January 1 due to the accumulation of about three to four feet of snow at Razdan pass and adjoining areas.
“Traffic was suspended to dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), due to slippery road conditions following fresh snowfall since late last night,” an official of Police Control Room (PCR), Kupwara, told UNI over the phone on Thursday.
He said Sadhna top, Z Gali and Phirkiyan pass received about 7 to 10 inches of fresh snowfall since last night. “Traffic to these areas will be restored only after clearing snow from the roads and getting a green signal from the officials deployed on the ground,” he said.
An official of Police Control Room (PCR) from Bandipora told UNI that Gurez remained closed for traffic since January 1. “Razdan pass, connecting Gurez, Neeru and dozens of other areas near LoC with district headquarters Bandipora, received fresh snowfall since late last night hampering the snow clearance operation,” he said.
He said Razdan pass received about 10 inches of fresh snowfall while other places, including Dawar and Tulail Valley, recorded 4 to 5 inches of fresh snow.