IN PHOTOS: Biting cold freezes life in Kashmir

Kashmir Valley continued to remain in the grip of a severe cold wave even as the authorities claimed to have restored power supply in the entire valley on Monday evening, reports Mukhtar Ahmad.

The cold wave has led to severe difficulties for the locals as the minimum temperature recorded in capital Srinagar touched minus 4.2 degrees Celsius with the maximum touching minus 0.5 degree on Monday.

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With overcast sky and frozen snow on rooftops and roadsides, the pedestrian and vehicular movement in the city continued to remain affected.

People, however, got the chance of witnessing the icicles hanging from the roof edges after a long time with children having the first time experience of the spectacle.

Even though the snowfall has not seriously affected availability of the essential commodities in the market, continued closure of the Jammu Srinagar highway is causing concern among the locals.

The closure has already led to shortage of cooking gas in the city and other towns.

An official spokesman said on Monday evening that the highway has been cleared. He said 100 vehicles stranded on the highway carrying supplies have reached Srinagar.

However, the spokesman said because of extreme cold vehicular movement on the highway was not possible.

The locals, however, got a big relief with the nearly full restoration of the power supply. An official of the power development department claimed to have restored the power supply in the Valley.

The supply had been badly hit with the snapping of transmission lines in the Pir Panchal mountain range.

Authorities hope with the weather remaining dry, the Jammu Srinagar highway will be thrown open for two way traffic soon.

Hundreds of Kashmir bound passengers are held up in Jammu and have been provided free shelter and food by the administration.

The stranded passengers have been assured free transport to Srinagar on restoration of the highway.

The state tourism department, however, hopes increased tourist rush to the Valley following the snowfall.

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