Title - Flight cancelled, train traffic remains hit Mercury dips further, cold wave sweeps Valley

SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Jan 4: There was no respite from intense cold and freezing temperature as the mercury plummeted further below the freezing point across the Kashmir today. The freezing temperature coupled with erratic power cuts has made the life difficult for the people in the Valley.

Fringes of the world famous Dal Lake were frozen for the third consecutive day today, forcing the ‘Shikara’ owners to break the ice with their oars for rowing their Shikaras (boats). Some of the water taps were also frozen during the preceding night leading to temporary water crisis.

Entire northern region is in the grip of cold waves while the train, air and vehicular traffic has been badly hit with the fog and poor visibility in parts of Jammu region and Punjab. Air Mantra flight between Chandigarh and Jammu was cancelled while many trains were delayed by 4 to 10 hours due to dense fog.

Srinagar recorded the coldest night of this winter as the mercury went down to minus 4.3 degrees celsius which was 0.3 degrees less than yesterday’s night temperature of minus 4.0 degrees celsius. However, the sunny day gave some respite to the people from the chill. The maximum temperature at the summer capital of the State was recorded as 9.5 degrees celsius.

The day temperature in Jammu, the winter capital of the State plummeted by one degree celsius as compared to Thursday. The day temperature was recorded as 11.0 degrees celsius while as it was12 degrees celsius on Thursday. The minimum temperature also plummeted by 1.6 degrees celsius as compared to yesterday. It was recorded as 5.0 degrees celsius today while as it was 6.6 degrees celsius on Thursday.

Kargil district of the Ladakh area was the coldest place in the State as the mercury settled at minus 16.2 degrees celsius during the intervening night of January 3 and 4. The day temperature at this place also settled many degrees below the freezing point and was recorded at minus 4.8 degrees celsius.

Leh district of Ladakh was the second coldest place in the State where the day and night temperatures were recorded at minus 2.0 degrees celsius and minus 14.9 degrees celsius, respectively.

The famous ski- resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir was reeling under intense cold wave conditions with the minimum temperature being recorded as minus 10.2 degrees celsius.

World famous health resort of Pahalgam in South Kashmir also reeled under severe cold wave conditions. This spot recorded the day temperature of 8.6 degrees celsius while as the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 7.0 degrees Celsius.

Qazigund, the gateway to Kashmir recorded the maximum temperature of 8.5 degrees celsius while as the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 5.0 degrees celsius. Kokernag recorded the maximum temperature of 6.5 degrees celsius while as the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 5.4 degrees celsius.

Kupwara in North Kashmir also reeled under cold wave conditions with people shivering with cold. The maximum temperature was recorded at 10.1 degrees celsius while as the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 4.0 degrees celsius.         

Meanwhile, due to fog and poor visibility, the Air Mantra flight operating between Amritsar-Chandigarh-Jammu-Chandigarh was cancelled due to dense fog and poor visibility at Chandigarh and Amritsar while all other flights operated normally from Jammu airport as the weather condition improved during the day today. It was sunny day again on the second consecutive day for few hours and people felt little respite from chilling cold weather conditions.

The train traffic was badly hit in view of fog and many trains arrived late at the Jammu railway Station. A Railways spokesman said that Pooja Express train was late by ten hours, Tata Moori by six hours, Varanasi Express nearly four hours, Jammu Mail by two and half hours, Delhi Anand Vihar- Jammu by three and half, Malwa by one and half hours, Andeman by 2 hours, Amarnath by one and half hours and so on. Most of the trains were rescheduled and passengers have been facing lot of hardships during these winters as they have to keep waiting at the station for hours together. 

The movement of inter-state buses has also been badly hit due to fog while smooth two-way traffic on Jammu-Srinagar Highway could not be restored due to snow in Pir Panchal, Jawahar Tunnel, Banihal, Qazigund and Patnitop area. Tomorrow up convoy from Jammu to Srinagar will be allowed, a Traffic spokesman said.