When it snowed thick and fast in the Kashmir Valley on Friday, the reactions ranged from a blissful welcome to frustration over paralysed daily life. The falling snow was also livestreamed widely on social networking sites.
Air and road traffic were badly affected in the Valley. Some areas recorded six inches to four feet of snow since Friday morning. Ski resort Gulmarg got 11 inches and Sonamarg was declared out of bounds.
As the white flakes carpeted the region, mainstream and separatist leaders joined top bureaucrats and businessmen, streaming hundreds of live videos from streets and homes.
Moderate Hurriyat spokesman Shahid-ul-Islam posed with the piled snow to send out his greetings.
Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Muneer-ul-Islam took to Facebook to issue an appeal: “If you are driving on a pleasure trip, please avoid. It is difficult to drive. Let’s be prepared for some inconvenience.”
Poor management of the weather by the government was the theme for the critics, while the others had only expressions of joy.
Radio Jockey (RJ) Nasir of 92.7 FM channel streamed live videos of the snow and declared, “It gives us a sense of collective celebration.”
Not everyone celebrated the moment. Vehicles on sections of key roads linking districts with Srinagar were stalled, while traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was suspended due to slippery conditions and fear of landslides.
Most flights were cancelled.
Kashmir University postponed examinations scheduled for the next two days, as the Met forecast said it would be “more snow and rains for the next 48 hours” in the Kashmir Valley.
More snow is coming. People were asked to stay indoors as medium danger warning was issued for avalanche-prone parts of Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Kishtwar, Rajauri, Doda, Poonch and Reasi in the next 24 hours.
