Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said all arrangements are in place to tackle heavy snowfall in the Union territory, also expressing hope that the precipitation forecast would help mitigate air pollution and boost winter tourism.
The chief minister chaired a review meeting here on Saturday, on winter preparedness in the Jammu region and Kashmir valley.
The Met office has forecast moderate to heavy snowfall in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.
“I took a review of both divisions, especially areas where it is expected to snow — all districts in the Valley and the higher reaches of Jammu. The administration has finalised all preparations, but, whether that would suffice, will only be known after tomorrow when it starts to snow,” Abdullah told reporters.
However, he said, despite the hardships that may arise due to heavy precipitation, Jammu and Kashmir was eagerly awaiting snowfall after the region witnessed a prolonged dry spell.
“Even if we face some hardships due to the snow, I do not think anyone should complain because we have been eagerly awaiting snowfall. It will clear the air, mitigate pollution, and kick off the winter tourism season,” he said.
In a post on X, the chief minister said he has chaired a comprehensive review meeting on winter preparedness, and taken stock of readiness of roads, power and water supply, health services, and essential commodities across both divisions.
The chief minister directed all departments to ensure round-the-clock snow clearance on priority routes, uninterrupted power and water supply, fully-functional control rooms, and prompt emergency response to minimise public hardship during winter, the post said.
According to an official press release, the chief minister said even as the winter preparedness plans are in place, “but the test of any plan is in its implementation. This expected weather spell gives us time to refine our preparations before the more severe conditions set in.”
Highlighting the core responsibilities of the government during winter, CM underlined that the administration would primarily be judged on three critical parameters: timely road clearance, uninterrupted electricity supply and availability of drinking water.
“These three—roads, electricity and water—are the ABC of our winter response. Everything else flows from them. People’s access to hospitals, mobility and daily life depend on how efficiently we manage these,” he asserted, directing all departments across both divisions to accord these sectors the highest priority once snowfall begins.
The chief minister stressed the need for a pre-emptive rather than a purely reactive approach. He instructed departments to ensure advance deployment of manpower and machinery wherever required. Referring to presentations made during the meeting, he expressed satisfaction that most preparatory work has been completed, while also flagging certain areas requiring closer attention.
On power sector, the CM directed strict monitoring of the availability of transformer oil. Noting that supplies have increased this year, he cautioned that any reported shortage would likely be due to pilferage which needs to be curbed. He also reviewed the issue of distribution transformer (DT) buffer stock, stressing that its utility depends on timely mobility.
Referring to concerns raised by the Deputy Commissioners of Baramulla and Bandipora regarding shortage of vehicles, the chief minister directed departments to hire vehicles in the short term wherever necessary for replacing of transformers once damaged.
“The vehicle that goes to remove a damaged DT must also carry the replacement. The idea of buffer stock is to minimise downtime—replace, repair and rotate, not move equipment back and forth unnecessarily,” he emphasised.
On healthcare preparedness, Abdullah acknowledged the limited availability of 4×4 ambulances but emphasised optimal utilisation of existing resources.
“Not every area needs a 4×4 ambulance. In some places, ambulances fitted with proper chains are sufficient. The Health department, in coordination with the Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, must ensure that 4×4 ambulances are deployed strictly where they are most needed,” he said.
Reviewing urban preparedness, particularly in Srinagar, the chief minister laid emphasis on dewatering arrangements. He directed advance placement of mobile dewatering pumps in known vulnerable areas prone to waterlogging.
“There are spots we know will face waterlogging within an hour of rainfall—such as parts of Airport Road and now even Maulana Azad Road. Since we are not expecting heavy snow in Srinagar, SMC must ensure effective management of waterlogging,” he instructed.
The chief minister also raised concerns regarding passenger facilities at Srinagar Airport during weather-related flight disruptions, especially as the bad weather coincides with the onset of the tourist season. He directed the Divisional Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner to coordinate with airport authorities to ensure better management of basic amenities, particularly sanitation within the terminal.
“We may not control flight disruptions, but we can certainly ensure that the condition of washrooms and overall cleanliness remains manageable when passengers accumulate. This is the least we can do,” he said, asking airport management to augment manpower during such situations.
On helicopter services for remote and snowbound areas, Abdullah expressed optimism about early operationalisation of heli-services for areas such as Kupwara and Bandipora.
Turning to the Jammu division, the chief minister noted that snow preparedness is largely in place but cautioned about the vulnerability of roads that were only temporarily restored after heavy rains in September–October. He stressed the need for heightened vigilance to prevent landslides and ensure swift restoration and establishment of alternate routes in case of damage.
“This is particularly important on NH-44, especially between Nashri and Udhampur, where we faced significant disruption earlier. Any heavy rain should not result in prolonged downtime on the National Highway,” he said.
Concluding his address, CM expressed confidence that 24×7 control rooms are operational and capable of handling emergencies. He added that lessons learned from the upcoming weather spell would be incorporated into future preparedness plans to further strengthen the administration’s response.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Dar and Satish Sharma; Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani; Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta; ACS Power Development Department Shailendra Kumar; ACS Public Works Department Anil Kumar Singh, Administrative Secretaries of the General Administration, Information, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Disaster Management, Relief & Rehabilitation, Health & Medical Education, Rural Development, Transport and Civil Aviation Departments; all Deputy Commissioners; top police officers including Inspector General of Police Kashmir and IGP Traffic, J&K, Managing Directors of DISCOMs Jammu and Kashmir; Heads of Department, and other concerned officers. The out station officers attended the meeting through video conferencing.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg presented detailed action plans outlining departmental preparedness in view of snow and rain in upper reaches and snowbound areas. The presentations covered snow clearance arrangements, stocking of ration, LPG and other essentials in snowbound regions, power and water supply readiness, healthcare facilities including availability of 4×4 ambulances, helicopter services, and identification and support for pregnant women and other vulnerable patients in areas such as Gurez, Machhil and Karnah, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Kathua and other regions that remain cut off during heavy snowfall.
The respective Deputy Commissioners also briefed the meeting on the preparations put in place in their respective districts in view of the snowfall and precipitation spell.
