Heavy Snowfall Continues in Doda; Residents Advised to Stay Indoors

Doda: Heavy snowfall continued for the second consecutive day in the Bhalesa area of Doda district in the Jammu Division over the past 24 hours, leading to severe disruption of normal life.Due to snow obstructing roads and essential services, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Gandoh, Bhalesa, on behalf of the Doda district administration, advised residents to stay indoors as a safety precaution. Temperatures in the region have dipped below the freezing point.Around one foot of snow has been recorded in the plains, while upper hilly regions have received nearly two to three feet of snowfall. All essential services, including electricity and water supply, have been disrupted.Road connectivity has been badly affected, with highways and link roads blocked due to landslides, fallen trees, and heavy snow accumulation. Authorities have allowed only emergency services to operate until weather conditions improve.After a prolonged dry spell of nearly three months, snowfall finally began in the plains and upper reaches of Bhalesa and adjoining areas from Friday midnight.As the entire region was blanketed in snow, residents expressed relief and happiness over the much-awaited snowfall.Meanwhile, Banihal town in Ramban district also witnessed the season’s first heavy snowfall on Friday, as fresh snow covered the entire area. The snowfall began late at night and continued for several hours, causing a sharp drop in temperatures and reduced visibility.Baramulla, Budgam, and the hill resort town of Batote in Ramban district also received significant snowfall, leaving the areas covered in a thick white blanket.The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) was closed on Friday due to heavy rain and snowfall, with vehicular movement also stopped at Jakhani Chowk in Udhampur.Snowfall also disrupted air travel, with Srinagar Airport and IndiGo Airlines announcing the temporary suspension and cancellation of several flights.Authorities said that due to ongoing rain and snow accumulation up to Ramsoo, all types of traffic were halted at safer locations on NH-44 as a precautionary measure, citing slippery road conditions.Earlier, MLA Daleep Singh Parihar said that the ongoing Bhaderwah Winter Carnival is contributing to Jammu and Kashmir’s economy by attracting tourists from across the country, and thanked visitors who travelled from distant places to attend the festival.



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