Tuesday, January 3 2006 18:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Road and air links between Kashmir and rest of the country were restored this afternoon with three flights landing at Srinagar airport and stranded vehicles on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway allowed to proceed after snow clearing operations, official sources said here.

However, the valley was plunged into complete darkness with electricity supply system crumbling under the weight of heavy snowfall over the past 36 hours, which has severely affected normal life.

Indian, Air Sahara and Jet Airways flights landed at Srinagar Airport this afternoon, a day after heavy snowfall had snapped the air link between the valley and rest of the country, the sources said.

A special Haj flight, which will carry the last batch of pilgrims from Kashmir, was scheduled to take off later in the day, the sources said.

About 225 stranded vehicles, mostly carrying goods, along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway were allowed to cross the Jawahar Tunnel after the snowfall relented early this morning and men and machines of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) cleared the huge piles of snow accumulated there, the sources said.

The heavy snowfall, which began on Sunday and stopped in the early hours today, took its toll as electric poles were broken at many places and wires connecting the supply stations to the consumers were snapped.

The situation was aggravated by falling of trees over electric wires, resulting in complete balckout in the valley as Power Development Department (PDD) switched off electricity supply.

The PDD authorities yesterday said they had been able to restore 35 per cent of the system but had not resumed supply of electricity in view of the continuing snowfall which could damage the poles and wires, besides endangering the lives of people.

Communication links like telephone, mobile phones and internet were also badly affected with heavy snow snapping cables for these facilities at many places.

The attendance in Government offices was thin and all examinations conducted by Kashmir University today and tomorrow have been postponed in view of the snowfall. The usual hustle and bustle in markets including Lal Chowk area was missing as most of the people chose to stay indoors.

The Disaster management Group of Jammu and Kashmir Government met here to review the operations of the group aimed at restoring normalcy in the valley.

"Roads are being cleared by bulldozers and snow-clearing machines. 39 machines worked round the clock to ensure that traffic plies on the roads in the morning," Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Basharat Ahmad Dhar told sources after the meeting.

On the slow pace of operations, the divisional commissioner said, "We have prioritised the roads. With limited manpower and machinery, you can't expect us to reach every nook and corner of the valley in one night. The top priority roads have been opened and now second priority category is being worked upon."

He said squads have been formed to check hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities like food rations, LPG fuel and kerosene oil.