Road and electricity connectivity to be restored soon in Kashmir Valley: Divisional Commissioner

Srinagar, Jan 24 (IANS) Divisional commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, said on Saturday that road connectivity and electricity, disrupted by recent snowfall in the Valley, will be restored by this evening.

Ahead of Republic Day celebrations, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, accompanied by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir V.K. Birdi, visited Balidan Stambh at Pratap Park, in the Residency Road area of the city, where they took the salute during the full dress rehearsal and paid floral tributes to the martyrs at Balidan Stambh.

Speaking to reporters, Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg termed the occasion auspicious and said elaborate preparations have been made for the annual Republic Day event.

He said contingents of security forces, school children, and various departments have been rehearsing continuously for the past month to ensure the smooth conduct of the celebrations.

He said despite heavy rain and snowfall witnessed over the past two days, teams worked round-the-clock to prepare the stadium and other venues. He appealed to the people of Srinagar to participate in the Republic Day function as every year and witness the celebrations.

Giving an update on weather-related damage, the Divisional Commissioner said most parts of the Valley, except Srinagar, received snowfall, while wind speeds crossed 150 kmph at some places, leading to damage in certain areas.

He said restoration work was started immediately, and power supply is being restored at a rapid pace, with the remaining stations expected to be functional soon.

He further said that weather conditions have improved significantly since yesterday and that airport and train services have already returned to normal.

Road clearance work is also underway, with about 15,000 km of roads cleared out of the total 20,000 km.

The remaining stretches are being cleared with the assistance of NDRF and other agencies.

The Divisional Commissioner said as per the directions of the Chief Minister, the target is to complete restoration and snow clearance work by evening to ensure normalcy across the Valley.