40 soldiers rescued as heavy snowfall paralyses Kashmir; highway shut, flights cancelled

Fresh snowfall across Kashmir on Tuesday disrupted life across the valley, forcing the closure of the Jammu–Srinagar national highway, cancellation of all flights at Srinagar airport and leaving hundreds of tourists stranded, even as Army personnel were rescued from snowbound areas of Doda district in a coordinated operation.

Officials said 40 soldiers, who were stranded due to heavy snowfall in the higher reaches of Doda, were evacuated safely after road restoration and rescue operations by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Army. The rescue was carried out amid difficult weather and terrain conditions, with no casualties reported.

The snowfall, which began late on Monday night, blanketed large parts of Kashmir in white. Authorities said National Highway-44, the only all-weather road linking the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country, was closed due to heavy snow accumulation near the Navyug tunnel at Qazigund and Banihal.

Meanwhile, all 58 scheduled flights at Srinagar International Airport — 29 arrivals and 29 departures — were cancelled, officials said. Continuous snowfall rendered the runway unsafe for operations, leading airlines to suspend services for the day.

An official of the Airports Authority of India said weather conditions were beyond control, but airlines were extending cooperation by rescheduling flights and assisting stranded passengers.

The disruptions caused significant inconvenience to travellers. Ashish and Harshita, a couple on their honeymoon, said they were scheduled to return home on Tuesday after the Republic Day weekend but had to return to their hotel after their flight was cancelled.

“We were booked to fly back today, but the flight got cancelled. Now we are waiting for further updates from the airline,” they said while leaving the airport.

In contrast, some tourists chose to take the disruption in stride. L K Yadav, who was stranded while travelling by road, said although the delay had increased expenses, his group was enjoying the snowfall.

“We were planning to leave yesterday, but now we are stuck. Still, we are enjoying the stay,” he said.

Another tourist, Waqar-ud-din Qazi from Nagpur, praised the support extended by local authorities. “The police and locals are very cooperative. This place is truly heaven,” he said.

While plains of the valley, including Srinagar, witnessed light to moderate snowfall, the higher reaches received heavy snow, transforming popular tourist destinations such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam into winter landscapes.

In Doda district, heavy snowfall disrupted movement in high-altitude areas, leaving Army personnel temporarily stranded. Defence sources said rescue and evacuation operations were launched immediately, with snowbound roads cleared to ensure safe movement of troops. The successful evacuation underscored the preparedness of security forces and road agencies to respond to extreme winter conditions.

Train services were also impacted, with a few trains between Banihal and Budgam cancelled in the morning hours. However, officials said operations resumed after tracks were cleared. Train services between Srinagar and Katra continued as scheduled.

Across the Union Territory, district administrations and police have set up control rooms and helpline numbers to assist residents and tourists. In snowbound localities, police personnel were seen carrying patients on stretchers to hospitals after roads became inaccessible.

The Meteorological Department has forecast light to moderate rain or snowfall at most places, with the possibility of gusty winds and thunder in some areas. Light precipitation is also likely on Wednesday.

The Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Disaster Management Authority (JKUTDMA) issued avalanche warnings for 11 districts, with a high-danger warning for areas above 2,000 metres in Ganderbal district and medium-danger warnings for several districts in Kashmir and Jammu regions. The warnings were valid till Tuesday evening.

Authorities have advised people to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly to higher reaches, and urged tourists to follow official advisories until weather conditions improve.