Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam witnessed heavy tourist rush on New Year’s Eve

But New Year revellers was without traditional snowfall

SHAKEELA ANDRABI

SRINAGAR: This time New Year revellers was without the traditional snowfall as cold wave and fog sweep across Kashmir with little prospect of any fresh snowfall. The Met office predicted that weather remain cold and dry during next 24 hours in Jammu and Kashmir.
The weather in the Kashmir Valley is unexpectedly clear on New Year’s Eve ,it was sunny on Sunday even as Kashmir is witnessing severe cold days of Chillai e Kalaan.
The Met Department has predicted clear and dry weather in Jammu and Kashmir during next 24 hours, which clearly indicates that there is no possibility of snowfall when the Near Year enters.
Tourists from across the country as well as locals were seen heading towards the tourist destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam and Sonamarg for New Year celebrations, but this time since the Met office has predicted that mercury levels will drop, major tourists spots are unlikely to snow.
Most of the hotel rooms and homestays at these hill stations have recorded, 100% capacity booking for December 31,but without snowfall, the celebrations will be held on an average scale.
Speaking to the State Times, many tourists said that they had come to Gulmarg to celebrate New Year on snow-covered slopes, but we are a bit unhappy as we have seen sunny weather and there is no even possibility of snowfall in Kashmir during next the 24 hours.
According to reports, the Tourism Department and the district administrations are fully prepared to celebrate and all the necessary arrangement have already been made to deal with the heavy influx of tourists to celebrate on the snow-covered slopes at Gulmarg and other tourists places on the new year’s eve.
“There is no doubt that there is a unique combination of New Year celebrations and snowfall but this year the weather is dry and in the absence of snowfall tourists will feel a little unhappy and that too on New Year’s eve,” the official said.
Earlier Tourism Secretary, Abid Rasheed Shah revealed that this year’s winter will be a “big success” as places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam have already been sold out for upcoming festivals like Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Meanwhile minimum temperature was minus 3.4 degree Celsius in Srinagar and Pahalgam today while it was minus 3.5 in Gulmarg.”Leh town in Ladakh region had minus 9.2.Kargil minus 6.4 and Drass minus 7.6 as the minimum temperature .
“Jammu city has 8.3 Katra 8.6 Batote4,Badherwah 1.4 and Banihal zwro as the nights’s lowest temperature today” Met office. The 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known as the Chillai Kalan’ started here on December 21 and will end on January 30.