Raja Syed Rather
Srinagar, Dec 23: The Chief Engineer Mechanical Engineering Department on Tuesday said that government has set up dedicated snow control rooms across Kashmir to ensure public safety, smooth coordination of snow clearance operations and uninterrupted essential services during the winter season.
Speaking to reporters, Chief Engineer Er. Bodh Raj said that the department, which is responsible for clearing the majority of roads in the Valley, has completed all necessary preparations. He said the department has divided the entire road network into four operational zones to ensure timely snow clearance.
He said the first zone covers Srinagar and Budgam districts, while the second zone covers four districts of south Kashmir., the third zone covers Baramulla district, and the fourth zone covers Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts.
“The department has set a target of clearing over 10,015 km of roads this winter season. For this purpose, the department has deployed 301 snow clearance machines and a workforce of 305 staff members, including additional manpower hired to strengthen operations,” he said.
He said the department has been fully operational since mid-November and has already demonstrated preparedness by clearing roads in Gulmarg following recent snowfall. “Around 40 to 50 km of internal roads were cleared on time despite two to three inches of snowfall,” he added.
The Chief Engineer further said that six main snow control rooms have been established across Kashmir, along with smaller control rooms at key locations. “These control rooms have been functional since November 15, with operators stationed round-the-clock and provided with necessary facilities, including heating arrangements”.
He said although no major addition of machinery has been made this year, the department has inducted two tractor-mounted snow cutters and some new snow cutters to enhance capacity. “Our operators remain alert 24×7 every year. We are fully prepared to deal with snowfall whenever it occurs,” he said. (KNO)
