Srinagar, Oct 7 (IANS) All major highways, including Srinagar-Jammu, Srinagar-Leh and the Mughal road, were closed for traffic on Tuesday due to snowfall and landslides triggered by inclement weather.

Traffic Department officials said that snowfall on the Zojila Pass and Pir Ki Gali closed the Srinagar-Leh highway and the Mughal Road, while landslides and shooting stones in the Ramban sector of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway forced the closure of this major highway as well on Tuesday.

Sinthan Pass, which connects the Valley with Kishtwar in Jammu division, Razdan Pass, which links the Valley with Gurez border area, and the road leading from Kupwara district to Tangdhar and Keran have also been closed.

The weather office has forecast light to moderate snowfall in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir till forenoon/afternoon today and improvement in overall weather thereafter.

The minimum temperature was 7.1 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city, while it was minus 0.4 degrees in Gulmarg and 0.6 degrees in Pahalgam.

Jammu city recorded 15 degrees Celsius minimum temperature, Mata Vaishno Devi base camp town of Katra 12 degrees Celsius, Batote 6.8 degrees Celsius, Banihal 5.3 degrees Celsius and Bhaderwah 5.7 degrees Celsius.

Cold wind blowing into the plains from snow-clad mountain tops has resulted in a cold wave sweeping the Valley. Locals have already started wearing woollens in cities and towns, while in villages and foothill areas, people have started wearing a tweed overgarment called the ‘Pheran’.

The early autumn snowfall is an indication that winter is knocking at the door in the Kashmir Valley as people collect the paddy crop after reaping, thrashing and milling it.

The weather office has said that mainly dry weather is likely in Jammu and Kashmir from tomorrow onwards for the next seven days, with the possibility of light showers at a few places during this period.

Farmers have been advised to resume agricultural activities from tomorrow onwards.

–IANS

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