Snowfall, rain disrupt traffic on Mughal Road

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, October 16

The higher reaches of J&K and Ladakh received fresh snowfall on Monday, resulting in the closure of many roads. The Mughal Road connecting Rajouri and Poonch with Kashmir’s Shopian was shut due to snowfall in Pir ki Gali area. Other districts, including Doda, Kishtwar and Reasi, also witnessed rain and snowfall. The traffic flow on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban, where the highway is under construction, was disrupted for hours. The traffic police informed that vehicular movement on both sides of the highway had been halted due to a landslide at Banihal in Ramban. By the evening, traffic movement had been restored on the road.

Apple growers worried

• Hailstorm in Kashmir, mainly in Kulgam and Shopian, leaves farmers worried as they fear it will affect the quality of apple.
• The weather is expected to improve after Wednesday so MeT Department has advised the farmers to postpone harvest.

SDMs and tehsildars were asked to remain alert by Deputy Commissioner Mussarat Islam in Ramban after heavy snowfall started on Monday afternoon.

The Reasi-Arnas-Mahore road in Reasi district was shut near Khrud Bridge due to a major landslide. Men and machinery were put on the job. Jammu witnessed heavy rainfall that brought down the minimum temperature.

With rain and hailstorm continuing in the region, apple growers fear that it will affect the colour and quality of the fruit. Hailstorm was reported in Kulgam and Shopian, two of the many districts where apple crop is produced. Growers claim that hailstorm damaged the harvest-ready crop in these areas. The Meteorological Department has predicted that the weather will improve from October 18 which has increased the worries of apple growers.

Apple growers were expecting that after a year of road blocks in 2022 which damaged their crops on way to market, this year will be fruitful. Landslides on the Jammu-Srinagar highway had caused roadblocks last year.

Mir Mohammad Amin, a trader and grower from Shopian, said the rain a few weeks ago was fruitful for the crop but hailstorm in Kulgam and Shopian on Sunday could inflict damages on the quality of the apple. The weatherman has advised the fruit growers to postpone harvesting till October 17.

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