Srinagar, Jan 9 (UNI) Fresh snowfall was experienced on early Saturday morning in the Kashmir valley, including summer capital, Srinagar and its adjoining areas, where majority interior roads, lanes and by-lanes remained under snow disrupting pedestrian and vehicular movement.

A Met department spokesman said Saturday that there could be light rain or snow in Jammu and Kashmir region during the next 24 hours. However, during the subsequent two days weather will remain dry, he said.

At some places in the civil lines, including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, Srinagar, roads have become slippery due to frozen snow disrupting traffic movement. However, authorities were seen using salt to defreeze the frozen snow to make roads safe for driving.

Roof and tree tops, already under about 10 inches of white blanket, received about five inches of fresh snowfall since early Saturday morning. Snow on the roof top had frozen and in some areas icicles could be seen hanging due to minus 4 degree minimum temperature before fresh snowfall this morning in Srinagar.

The Mechanical department had put into service machines to clear the snow on the main roads. However, interior roads and lanes and bylanes remained under snow.

People alleged that interior roads and lanes and bylanes leading to the residence of bureaucrats, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) corporate, and other VIPs have been cleared. However, hundreds of roads remained under frozen snow disruption normal life.

Very less number of passenger and private vehicles were seen on the roads due to slippery road condition. Vehicles remained parked in the interior parts of the city because the roads remained under snow.

All mainstream political parties, including Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticized the administration for failing to clear the snow on the roads.

Reports received said in some areas people contributed and hired tractors and other vehicles to clear snow on their roads. At Sumarbugh colony, people said they contributed Rs 50 each household and paid to a tractor driver to clear the snow on the road.

The SMC were hiring labourers to clear the snow on inner roads and lanes and bylanes, said Ghulam Mohammad Mir, a 70 year old , resident of Budshah Nagar, Natipora. Now even SMC workers had failed to collect daily garbage from houses, he said and alleged these poor workers might have been given the job to clear snow near the houses of officers.

However, another resident of Dilsoz colony Natipora said they were lucky enough as snow has been cleared thanks to a Chief Engineer living in the locality.

Met spokesman said the minimum temperature in Srinagar was minus 4 degree while the maximum Friday was 8.5 degree.

Moderate to heavy snowfall was also experienced in the south Kashmir, officials said adding there was very less snow in the north this time.

The minimum temperature at Pahalgam was minus 5.1 degree.

Gulmarg, the world famous ski resort, also witnessed fresh snowfall since early Saturday morning. Large number of skiers, tourists and other adventure lovers hit the famed ski slopes since early this morning to enjoy fresh snowfall. The minimum temperature there was minus 10 degree while the maximum temperature yesterday was minus 1.4 degree.

Meanwhile,Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday flagged off Girls Contingent at winter capital, Jammu for 15 day Ski Course and Training at Gulmarg.

UNI BAS SY 1525