Mechanical Dept ready with snow-clearance fleet in Kulgam, Anantnag

Younus Rashid
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20 Dec 2025

Anantnag, Dec 20: With snowfall forecast in Kashmir and the onset of Chillai Kalan beginning on Sunday, the Mechanical Department has readied its snow-clearance machinery in Anantnag and Kulgam districts to ensure road connectivity during winter. In Anantnag, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Mechanical & Hospital Sub Division 1st, Mohd Yaseen Malik said the division has a total fleet of 39 machines this winter. “These include 14 truck-mounted snow ploughs and 21 snow cats, with two new machines added this year,” he said. Malik said the division will cover a total road length of 1,542 kilometres, and seven snow-clearance control rooms have been established across the district for round-the-clock monitoring. In Kulgam, AEE Mechanical Khursheed Abdullah said the Mechanical Department will be clearing about 549.15 km of roads, including 406.19 kilometres under Priority-I and 142.96 kilometres under Priority-II. He said the district has a fleet of 25 machines, comprising nine LPTs, one Unimog, 10 snow cats, one backhoe loader, two front-end loaders and two cutters. “One machine has also been kept pre-positioned in Kund in anticipation of snowfall,” Abdullah said. Officials said the deployment of machinery and manpower has been planned to ensure timely snow clearance on both main roads and interior routes as winter conditions intensify.