J&K tourists stranded get the jitters

Jammu-Srinagar Highway: The famed, tourist-attracting snowfall of Jammu and Kashmir is no longer enthralling. Biting cold and fear of landslides and avalanche has gripped the valley and life remains paralysed for the fourth consecutive day following heavy snowfall.

The residents of Kupwara, Baramulla, Gurez, Handwara, Shopian, Waltangoo, Kulgam, Drass, Kargil and Kokernag have been told to restrict their movement in the hilly areas and the Banihal pass and Jawahar tunnel are buried under 6-feet snow.

It’s for the first time in the past five years that the valley has recorded heavy February snowfall. While the minimum temperature has gone up from minus six degrees last week to 0.4 degrees on Thursday morning, the Met Department has warned of more snowfall till February 8.

Meanwhile, a Defence spokesperson has said there is no question of lowering the guard on the Line of Control (LoC) despite unprecedented snowfall.

The Border Security Force too is battling avalanches and landslides to keep the road link to the valley alive.

Vehicles have not being plying on the 300-km Jammu and Srinagar highway and the Border Roads Organisation men are on the jon, sprinkling urea and salt to ensure that the path remains clear of ice..

“We have to clear the snow after ever hour, it freezes again,” says BRO officer, Butti Ram.

Over 200 BRO men are deployed on the highway maintaining the only road link to the Kashmir Valley. The route has over 18 avalanche and 14 landslide prone-sites. On Wednesday, a landslide near Ramban even killed one of their workers

Says a BRO worker Preetam Singh, “We have faced slides, at times trees fall and there are avalanches.”

Hakur Dass agrees. “It's difficult work. We are poor and have no option. We risk our lives for Rs 2500 but have no other option.”

In 2005, more than 10 BRO men had died in a avalanche which struck Nearri Ramban. On an average, more than three BRO casualties are reported every winter while they try to maintain the valley's lifeline.

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