Power supply, road connectivity restored in Kashmir Valley

Srinagar, Feb 11: A senior Jammu and Kashmir official has said that power supply and road connectivity in 80 per cent areas of snow-bound Kashmir Valley has been restored. The officials gave this information to the four-member group of ministers deputed by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to take stock of the post snowfall situation in the Valley.

While Agriculture Minister Abdul Aziz Zargar, Public Health Engineering Minister Mohammad Dilawar Mir and Minister of state for Health and Medical Education Peer Mohammad Hussain reviewed the situation in South Kashmir, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister Taj Mohiuddin held a high level meeting in Srinagar, officials said.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Mehboob Iqbal and other officers who attended the meeting told the ministers that power and water supply in most of the areas in the Valley has been restored and efforts were on to restore power supply in those areas which have experienced heavy snowfall. The Jammu-Srinagar Highway was reopened today after remaining closed for seven consecutive days following heavy snowfall and landslides.

According to the state traffic department spokesman, the traffic on the arterial road was restricted to one-way. Over 1700 vehicles, mostly trucks carrying essential supplies to Kashmir, were allowed to move ahead, he added. He went on to say that no vehicle was allowed from Srinagar to Jammu on the highway. The 300-kilometers highway was closed on February 3 after heavy snowfall and landslides at Panthal, Ramban, Patnitop and Jawahar Tunnel. The highway is the only road link between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country.

The ministers were told sufficient stocks of essentials were available for two months in the Valley. The ministers were also informed that they were sufficient quantity of food grains and petroleum products stocked.

ANI