BHADARWAH: All districts of Chenab Valley remained cut-off from rest of the country as vehicular movement was not allowed by the authorities beyond Batote towards Jammu on Sunday resulting in heavy Jam at Patnitop area.
According to reports, authorities not allowed any kind of vehicular traffic after continuous snowfall and slippery conditions at Patnitop on Jammu – Srinagar National Highway due to which passengers remained stranded at various places of Chenab Valley including Bhadarwah, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Batote.
According to sources, Batote-Kishtwar NH1B remained out of bound for the commuters for third day while all the major link roads within districts Doda and Kishtwar were made pliable and opened for traffic today.
When connected Dy.S.P Traffic NH1B Aftab Ahmed said that due to slippery road conditions and massive traffic Jam at Patnitop On Sunday, we did not allow any vehicle from Districts Doda and Kishtwar to move towards Jammu beyond Batote, considering the safety of passengers. As soon the jam is cleared at Patni-Top, we will allow the traffic movement of passenger vehicles towards Jammu, he added.
“However all the major link roads including Doda-Bhadarwah, Thathri – Gandoh, Chatroo-Kishtwar, Padder-Kishtwar, Chinta-Bhadarwah, Bhala-Nalthi and Doda-Gath have been opened for all kinds of traffic and vehicles are plying on these roads normally,” DySP added.
Meanwhile, power supply was restored after it was suspended soon after snowfall started in the Chenab Valley on Friday evening.
“In the evening, almost 50-60 per cent of electricity was restored in Doda and Kishtwar Districts, which was affected due to the felling of a tree on NHPC tower near Batote after snowfall on Friday evening. In Bhadarwah, Doda and Kishtwar towns, electricity supply was restored fully,” said PDD official.
However entire Gandoh Sub division, peripherals and rural areas including Dessa, Siraz, Thana, Kastigarh, Bharat, Gundana in Doda and Thanala, Sharekhi, Bumlakhi, Kansar, Manthala, Maleni, Chinchora, Bheja, Mathola, Shankhoja and Lagsaroo villages of Bhadarwah remained without electricity for third consecutive day. When contacted SDM Gandoh, Dalmir Choudhary said, ” The power supply has been restored at Gandoh Grid Station and we are hopeful that by late evening, we will be able to restore electricity at Gandoh Headquarters, Gwari, Kahara and Kilhotran.”
“PDD men are working round the clock to restore the supply in peripheral areas as well and we expect the restoration work in accessible villages of entire sub division will be completed by Monday evening,” SDM added.