Photo Gallery: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh under a blanket of snow, traffic disrupted

Higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Thursday while the plains witnessed intermittent rains as the minimum temperature settled below the freezing point at most places in the Valley and Ladakh region.

(Pic:IANS)

Several parts of the valley like Qazigund, Kokernag, Pahalgam and Mughal Road received snowfall. Even in the higher reaches of the valley and Jammu region, snowfall as recorded in areas near the Jawahar Tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

(Pic: IANS)

The plains in the valley, including Srinagar, received intermittent rains overnight which continued on Thursday morning in some areas. The snowfall and rains have led to the closure of traffic on vital roads including the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. The nearly 300-km long highway was closed for traffic on Wednesday following accumulation of snow on both sides of the Jawahar Tunnel, an official of the Traffic Control Room said

(Pic: IANS)

Mughal Road, which is an alternate route connecting the valley with Jammu region, remained closed for traffic due to snowfall. The Srinagar-Leh National Highway, connecting the valley with Ladakh region, is also closed for traffic due to snow accumulation at Zojilla.

(Pic: IANS)

In Himachal Pradesh, there were partly cloudy skies following the season's first snowfall. Kufri, Dalhousie were shivering below the freezing point in the state. The the was experienced in Shimla, Kufri, Dalhousie and higher reaches of the state on Wednesday and Thursday.

(Pic: IANS)