Kargil, Mar 20: Fresh snowfall across several high-altitude areas of Ladakh has disrupted road connectivity, forcing the closure of the Srinagar–Ladakh National Highway at Zojila Pass on Friday.
Officials reported that continuous snowfall over the past 24 hours affected Zojila, Minamarg, Sonamarg and adjoining sectors, with Zojila recording around nine inches of fresh accumulation. As a precautionary measure, vehicular movement along the strategic highway linking Kashmir with Ladakh has been suspended for the day.
According to an early morning update issued at 0615 hours by the Police Telecom unit in Kargil, weather conditions remained unstable across multiple regions, with snowfall of varying intensity recorded.
In Drass, light snowfall continued, leaving around one inch of fresh accumulation, though the road remained open for traffic. Similar conditions prevailed in Panikhar, where light snowfall was reported but movement was not affected.
Zanskar, however, witnessed active snowfall leading to blockage of the road, restricting movement in the region. In Sankoo, snowfall persisted with minor accumulation, while vehicular movement continued without interruption.
Chiktan and Wakha reported comparatively milder conditions. Chiktan experienced light snowfall with no measurable accumulation, while Wakha remained cloudy with minimal snow deposition of about one centimetre. Both areas reported normal road connectivity.
Darchiks recorded light rainfall instead of snow, with roads remaining open. Meanwhile, weather and road status from Rangdum was awaited at the time of reporting.
Minamarg, located along the Zojila axis, experienced continued snowfall with around four inches of fresh accumulation. Authorities confirmed that traffic through the Zojila stretch has been halted due to ongoing snowfall and slippery road conditions.
In Khangral, light snowfall was observed without any impact on road connectivity.
Officials indicated that further decisions regarding the reopening of the highway will depend on improvement in weather conditions and clearance operations. Travellers have been advised to avoid unnecessary movement along the affected routes until conditions stabilise.
