Snow, rain likely as Kashmir braces for 'Chillai-Kalan'
Srinagar, Dec 20 (PTI): Kashmir is likely to face a spell of wet weather, including moderate to heavy snowfall in the higher reaches, even as the night temperature improved slightly a day ahead of the onset of 'Chillai-Kalan' -- the 40-day harsh winter period, officials said on Saturday.
The local meteorological department has forecast a spell of wet weather on December 20-21, coinciding with the onset of 'Chillai-Kalan', which begins on December 21 every year and ends on January 31.
Moderate to heavy snowfall is expected in the higher reaches of Kashmir, while light to moderate precipitation may affect the plains, the weather office said.
Chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent during this period, with temperatures dropping sharply across the Valley.
The Valley has not witnessed any major wet spell so far this winter. The dry weather has led to an increase in ailments such as cough and the common cold.
The night temperature improved across the Valley, with Pulwama emerging as the coldest place with a minimum of minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, according to the MeT office.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.4 degree Celsius, about 2 degrees up from the previous night's minus 2.1 degrees Celsius, the officials said.
A thick layer of fog engulfed Srinagar and most other parts of the Valley on Saturday morning, especially near the water bodies.
In south Kashmir, Pahalgam, one of the base camps for the Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 1 degree Celsius, while Kokernag and Qazigund recorded 0.8 and minus 1 degree Celsius, respectively.
The temperature in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at minus 0.7 degree Celsius, the weather department said.
In Gulmarg, the minimum temperature settled above the freezing point at 2 degrees Celsius, it said.
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In PM’s absence, Bengal Guv launches national highway projects worth Rs 3,200 cr
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday unveiled national highway projects worth Rs 3,200 crore in West Bengal with an aim to boost economic activities and tourism in the state.
Bose officially launched the projects from Netaji Park in Taherpur area of Nadia district instead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was initially supposed to unveil the development projects from the ground, but whose helicopter failed to land in the area on account of insufficient visibility due to dense fog over the region.
Modi was forced to return to the Kolkata airport from where he later addressed the crowd in a virtual audio mode.
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Bose inaugurated the 66.7 km-long four-laning of the Barajaguli-Krishnanagar section of NH-34 in Nadia district, while he laid the foundation stone for the four-laning of the Barasat-Barajaguli stretch of the highway in the adjacent district of North 24 Parganas.
“It has remained our constant endeavour to ensure modern connectivity to those far-flung areas of Bengal which have suffered on account of backwardness,” the Prime Minister said while addressing the crowd.
Modi expressed regret for not being able to remain on the dais in person on account of inclement weather.
The projects will serve as a vital connecting link between Kolkata and Siliguri and help reduce travel time by approximately 2 hours, ensuring faster and smoother movement of vehicles and improving connectivity between the state's capital and other districts of West Bengal as well as with neighbouring countries, Modi said.
“The projects will also boost the economic growth in the region and will provide impetus to the growth of tourism across the region,” he added.
