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Fresh snowfall in the Bhaderwah Valley on Sunday disrupted daily life after three days of sunshine, leading to a sharp drop in temperature and traffic disruptions. The sudden change in weather affected commuters and daily wage earners the most.
Authorities issued an advisory asking residents to remain cautious, as snowfall made roads slippery and unsafe for travel. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Bhaderwah, Sunil Kumar Butyal, said an advisory had been issued in view of the prevailing weather conditions. "The authorities have issued an advisory. We request that all Bhaderwah residents stay in their homes unless it's an emergency and avoid driving unless necessary, as roads are slippery due to snowfall," he said. He also said efforts were underway to restore essential services, especially the electricity supply, which had been disrupted due to the snowfall. "Our people are currently working to restore the disrupted power supply. People should use heating appliances and wood with caution to avoid fire and other incidents," Butyal added. Earlier, the Border Roads Organisation carried out a high-altitude rescue and road restoration operation at Jammu and Kashmir's Chatergala Pass, located at an altitude of 10,500 feet, on the Bhaderwah-Chatergala axis. The operation followed heavy snowfall that disrupted connectivity in the area. The rescue and clearance work was undertaken by the 118 Road Construction Company of the 35 Border Roads Task Force under Project Sampark of the BRO. According to the BRO, "The snow-clearance operation commenced at 0630 hrs on January 24 and continued for nearly 40 hours, clearing approximately 38 km of road buried under 5-6 feet of snow. The route was opened by 7:30 pm on January 25, enabling the safe evacuation of 40 troops of 4 Rashtriya Rifles along with weapons and stores, and 20 stranded civilians." The organisation said the mission concluded successfully without any casualties. "The rescue mission was completed by 02:30 am on 26 January 2026 with zero casualties, highlighting the professionalism and dedication of BRO personnel working under extreme winter conditions. The operation was executed in close coordination with the Indian Army, restoring critical connectivity in the region," the BRO said. (ANI)
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