Two feet of snowfall paralyses life in the Valley

Srinagar, Mar 13 (UNI) About two feet of snowfall, coupled with no electricity, road connectivity, eatables and water, paralysed life in the Kashmir valley.

Srinagar had turned white after about one to two feet of fresh snowfall was recorded since yesterday afternoon.

The upper reaches however, experienced about two feet to five feet of snowfall.

Tree and roof tops, roads, electric poles and playing fields were covered under a blanket of snow as people remained confined to their homes because of the chill outside.

Of roads in the city remained under one to two feet of snow as the divisional authorities failed to meet the challenge.

However, snow on a few main routes being used by the VVIPs, including Srinagar-Airport road, has been cleared by pressing into service snow clearance machines.

This correspondent abandoned his vehicle at Badshah Nagar, Natipora and covered the six km distance on foot as the snow was not cleared on Srinagar-Nowgam road.

The Exchange road, Maisuma, historic Lal Chowk and Red-cross road also remained snow bound.

The roads where the snow has been cleared partially are under one to two feet of water because of poor drainage system, making the movement for pedestrians impossible.

After visiting a number of city areas, this correspondent saw just one snow clearance machine near Budshah bridge and another was parked near Iqbal park.

Where is the divisional administration? asked agitated people at different places. They alleged only those areas where some bureaucrats and other top functionaries are living gets top priority. Roads leading to hospitals, including from Naaz crossing to Lala-Ded (women) hospital, remained snow bound.

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