Fog Plays Spoilsport in Kashmir
Dense fog blanketed the Kashmir Valley early this morning, disrupting the entire surface and aerial traffic completely. Visibility dwindled to as low as 50 meters in some areas, prompting Srinagar Airport to suspend operations to prevent further flight cancellations and long delays. The situation was also duplicated for road transport as traffic crawled slowly, with multiple accidents being reported along the highways due to poor visibility.
Despite local advisories for non-essential travel to be suspended, irate commuters expressed some of their frustrations over what they termed as an unprepared system. "This happens every winter. Why aren't measures in place?" said a stranded person at the airport.
Experts explain the dense fog as a temperature drop combined with dense moisture content in the air. According to meteorologists, the foggy scenarios can still last for the next 48 hours, further worsening the winter conditions that Kashmir residents experience.
The perennial problem also indicates that investment and improvement are needed in infrastructure and early warning systems. Critics comment that fog is natural; against this, howlever, they argue that it makes citizens vulnerable if safety measures or contingency plans by the administration are not taken before the setting in of the season.
Now as Kashmir prepares itself for a harsher winter, authorities must live up to the challenge of balancing safety and efficiency in providing smooth transport facilities to its people.
