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Bandipora-Gurez Road Closed After Heavy SnowfallKashmir
Authorities have closed the Bandipora-Gurez road after snowfall blocked Razdan Pass, cutting off Gurez Valley’s only surface link with the rest of the district.
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Authorities suspended vehicular movement on the strategic Bandipora-Gurez road on Thursday after continuous snowfall blocked Razdan Pass in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. The closure has cut off the remote Gurez Valley’s only surface link with the rest of the district, leaving residents dependent on the road for essential supplies and services.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Gurez confirmed that the road was closed amid moderate snowfall across Razdan Pass, which connects Gurez Valley with the rest of the district. An officer of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) said snowfall had continued since morning and machinery had been deployed for snow clearance. According to officials, the snow depth on the pass had reached around six inches.
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Officials said the decision to halt traffic was taken as a precautionary measure because continuous snow accumulation had made the mountainous route slippery and hazardous. BRO personnel and machinery were sent to the area to clear snow from the roads and make them fit for traffic, with the aim of reopening the route linking Gurez Valley to the district headquarters.
Tourists stranded as snow continues
The snowfall left tourists stranded in several areas, officials said, as fresh snowfall was also reported in the upper reaches of Gurez and Tulail, while the plains of Bandipora received rain. The Bandipora-Gurez road, which passes over the high Razdan Pass, is especially vulnerable to snowfall and severe weather during the winter months.
Advisory issued before the snowfall
The closure had been anticipated. The Bandipora district administration had issued a weather advisory warning of snowfall and possible disruption of road connectivity in far-flung areas, particularly Gurez. Tourists staying in Gurez were asked to plan their departure immediately in consultation with the District Control Room, and the Gurez sector was temporarily declared out of bounds for tourists. Bandipora Police had separately advised tourists to leave the valley by November 10 and to postpone fresh travel plans.
The advisory also asked candidates from these areas who are scheduled to appear in the Accounts Assistant examination of the Finance Department on November 15 to plan their journeys well in advance and reach nearby stations before the examination date, keeping in view the possibility of road closures.
More snow forecast
The Meteorological Centre in Srinagar has forecast light to moderate rain in the plains and light to moderate snowfall in the higher reaches at many places on November 12 and 13, with moderate to heavy snowfall likely over the higher reaches of Kupwara and Bandipora districts. Daytime temperatures are expected to fall by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius during the period. Officials said traffic on the Bandipora-Gurez road would be restored only after an assessment of the weather and progress in snow-clearance operations, and residents and travellers have been advised to suspend their journeys until the weather clears.
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