Snow halts roads, air in Kashmir, not rail

The Vande Bharat Express continued its seamless and exhilarating run from Katra to Srinagar, majestically crossing the iconic Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, before gliding effortlessly over thick, snow-laden tracks as a fresh, heavy spell of snowfall blanketed vast swathes of Jammu and Kashmir, transforming the landscape into a breathtaking winter wonderland on Friday.

While air and road connectivity faced major disruptions, with the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway closed and several flights cancelled, the semi-high-speed train remained a reliable all-weather link, ferrying passengers through the picturesque yet challenging Himalayan terrain.

Stunning pics of the orange-and-grey coloured Vande Bharat Express have gone viral on various social media platforms.

At several scenic spots along the route, particularly near Banihal and the approaches to the iconic Chenab Rail Bridge, enthusiastic passengers were spotted eagerly capturing the dream run of the Vande Bharat Express on their mobile phones, turning the snowy spectacle into a flurry of selfies, videos, and live streams.

The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025.

Since commencing commercial services the following day, two pairs of these trains have been operating on the route six days a week. The journey, which once took significantly longer by road, now covers the distance in approximately three hours, slashing travel time by two to three hours.

Railway staff are working tirelessly around the clock, braving biting cold and relentless snowfall to clear accumulated snow from the tracks and ensure the safe, uninterrupted movement of the iconic Vande Bharat Express, amid the ongoing winter spell in Jammu and Kashmir.

Before a fresh spell of snowfall ended the prolonged dry spell, an unusual and ferocious windstorm lashed the Kashmir Valley on Thursday night, unleashing widespread destruction and chaos across residential areas, power infrastructure, and public spaces.

Triggered by an intense Western Disturbance sweeping into the region, the gusty winds, clocking speeds of 40-60 km/h, howled through Srinagar and surrounding districts late Thursday evening into the early hours of Friday. The sudden, high-velocity wind caught residents off guard, creating scenes of panic as roofs were ripped off homes, boundary walls collapsed, trees uprooted, and power lines snapped, plunging large parts of the Valley into darkness.

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir also issued a high-danger avalanche warning on Friday for six districts of the Union territory following fresh snowfall.

Avalanches with a high-danger level are likely to occur above 2,300 metres in Ganderbal district, in Central Kashmir, over the next 24 hours, the officials said.

They also warned that an avalanche with high danger level is likely to occur above 2,500 metres over districts, including Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch and Ramban in the Jammu region, and Kupwara in North Kashmir.

The officials urged the residents to remain cautious and avoid venturing into avalanche-prone areas.

While the plains of Kashmir recorded light to moderate snowfall, the upper areas and higher reaches of the valley received moderate to heavy snowfall.

Srinagar city itself experienced its first substantial snowfall of the season.

Gulmarg reportedly received over two feet of fresh snow in recent days, while areas like Sonamarg and Pahalgam witnessed moderate snowfall, boosting the winter appeal for tourists.

Moderate to heavy snowfall has been recorded in many areas in Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Shopian, Pulwama, and Bandipora districts, while Anantnag and Kulgam districts received light to moderate snow, the MeT department said.

The snow accumulation at the Srinagar airport disrupted the flight operations as the runway was not available, officials at the airport said.

The traffic on the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was suspended following fresh snowfall. Thousands of vehicles have been stranded.

“Traffic movement has been stopped in both directions - from Jammu towards Srinagar and vice versa on the Jammu Srinagar national highway (NH-44) due to fresh snowfall in and around the Navyug Tunnel (in Banihal-Qazigund stretch),” a traffic department official said.

“In addition, the Mughal Road, Srinagar-Leh national highway, and Sinthan Roads have also been closed owing to fresh snow accumulation,” the official said.

The official advised commuters to avoid travel until these roads are fully restored and declared safe for traffic.

District authorities and police have established control rooms and helplines in various areas to provide help to the people, officials said.

They said the authorities have pressed men and machinery into service to clear the snow from vital roads.

Moderate to heavy snowfall was also recorded in high-altitude areas, including the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Jammu region.

More than 100 stranded persons were rescued from snowbound areas in Poonch and Udhampur districts, while moderate rains lashed the plains, including Jammu city, bringing an end to a dry spell that had lasted for over two months.

Intermittent snowfall continued in the upper reaches of Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur and Kathua districts, officials said.

Snowfall ranging from a few inches to over two feet accumulated in some areas.

Meanwhile, in a post on X, Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said, “Season’s first snowfall at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan (atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district). Devotees were blessed to witness breathtaking weather as fresh snow gently adorned the holy surroundings of Maa Vaishno Devi Bhawan and Bhairon Temple, filling the atmosphere with serenity, devotion, and divine bliss.

The yatra was temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure from both the Tarakote and Banganga tracks, but it has now been restored.Five flights were suspended this morning while several others got delayed at Jammu airport due to inclement weather, the officials said. A total of 32 flights are scheduled to operate to and from the airport during the day.

The officials said the authorities have ordered the closure of all schools in the hilly districts of Rajouri, Poonch and Kathua districts as a precautionary measure in view of the snowfall.

Meanwhile, BSF rescheduled its recruitment drive at its Jammu headquarters from January 24 to February 6 due to waterlogging caused by rainfall.

“Due to continuous heavy rainfall, waterlogging has occurred in and around the BSF Jammu Paloura Camp, affecting the stadium and track. In view of this, the PST/PET (through RFID) for the recruitment of CT/TM in BSF, scheduled to be held on January 24, 2026, has been postponed. The revised date for the examination has now been fixed as February 6, 2026,” a BSF spokesperson said