Hundreds of tourists stranded as Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remains closed for second day
Srinagar (PTI): Hundreds of tourists remained stranded in Kashmir as the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway -- the only all-weather road link connecting the valley with the rest of the country -- was closed for traffic for the second day on Wednesday.
The closure of the highway has left many travellers stuck here.
"I have been stuck here for the last two days. We had come here to enjoy snow, but it is this snow that has become our punishment," Kailash, a tourist from Rajasthan told PTI Videos. He appealed to the authorities to clear the road "anyhow" and "allow us to go as our families are waiting for us".
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"The flights were cancelled yesterday and now the fare has increased. They are asking for at least 20-25 thousand. We request you to clear the road as it is causing us distress. If this approach remains, then next time no tourist will come to Kashmir, we will not come for sure if it continues like this," he added.
Another tourist, Mohit Sharma, said the closure of the highway for the second day has caused many hardships to the people.
"They are not allowing traffic even after the weather has improved. We want to go home, but are stuck here unfortunately. It is causing us many hardships. We are forced to spend extra than our budget. We want them to allow traffic so that the people who are stranded and have nowhere to go, could leave," Sharma said.
While the stranded tourists are waiting anxiously for the highway to reopen, some said that they were "fortunate" to get stuck in the snow-covered valley.
"I won't say that I am stuck. I do not feel that I am stuck. Everyone is not fortunate to be stuck here, I am," Shipra Bharadwaj, a professor at Delhi University who is on her fourth trip to the Kashmir valley, said.
Bharadwaj said she was advised this time to visit the valley in 'Chilla-i-Kalan, the 40-day harshest winter period during which the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent.
"I had never felt snow fall over my head. This time I did. I am fortunate," she added.
The snowfall on Tuesday forced the closure of the highway and the suspension of the flight operations at the Srinagar airport. While the flight operations resumed on Wednesday after improvement in the weather, the highway continued to remain closed for traffic.
The authorities are making efforts to restore the national highway (NH-44) as it continued to remain closed on the second day on Wednesday due to snow accumulation and slippery conditions, the officials said.
They said snow clearance operations were in progress to restore the traffic on the highway.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) personnel are sprinkling salt and urea on the road to improve conditions for safe driving as parts of the highway remained slippery due to frosty conditions after the snowfall, they said.
VIDEO | Jammu: Jammu–Srinagar National Highway closed due to snowfall and rain; traffic halted at Nagrota.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/hpwOAlBFag) pic.twitter.com/AIBMSgTNyE
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Annamalai left out of BJP’s candidate list for Tamil Nadu polls, party cites High Command decision
Chennai/New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has released its list of 27 candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, triggering political discussion after the absence of former state president K Annamalai from the roster.
Despite being widely seen as the party’s most prominent face in the state and a key figure in its southern expansion strategy, Annamalai was not fielded in the list. Senior leaders, including Tamilisai Soundararajan from Mylapore, Vanathi Srinivasan from Coimbatore North, and Union Minister L. Murugan from Avinashi, have been nominated.
Responding to questions on the omission, Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran said the decision was taken by the party’s central leadership. He expressed confidence that all 27 candidates would emerge victorious in the polls.
Annamalai, a former IPS officer who joined the BJP in 2020 and rapidly rose to prominence, had earlier been replaced as state chief by Nagendran. Known for his aggressive political style and grassroots outreach, he has been instrumental in amplifying the party’s presence in Tamil Nadu, a state traditionally dominated by Dravidian parties.
In a message posted on X, Annamalai congratulated the candidates and reaffirmed his commitment to the party. He said he would campaign actively for BJP and NDA nominees, expressing confidence in the alliance securing a decisive mandate. He also criticised the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government, calling it ineffective and self-serving.
The BJP is contesting the elections as part of the National Democratic Alliance led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Seat-sharing arrangements allocate 169 constituencies to the AIADMK, 27 to the BJP, 18 to the Pattali Makkal Katchi, 11 to the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, five to the Tamil Maanila Congress, and one seat each to the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi and Puratchi Bharatham.
Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 23 across all 234 constituencies, with counting scheduled for May 4. The primary contest is expected between the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA, although actor-turned-politician Vijay is also positioning himself as a potential challenger, raising the possibility of a multi-cornered contest.
#WATCH | Chennai | Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran says, "A list of 27 candidates has been released by the BJP High Command... All the 27 candidates will surely win this time..."
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2026
On Annamalai's name not appearing in the recently released list, he says, "This is a… https://t.co/pDd0HodSAW pic.twitter.com/29gkGK9AaP
