R&B Division Ganderbal gears up to tackle snowfall

Umar Raina
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20 Dec 2025

Ganderbal, Dec 20: The Roads and Buildings (R&B) Division Ganderbal has put men and machinery on high alert to effectively tackle the upcoming snowfall, officials said on Saturday. An official from the department said that winter preparedness, which remained a major focus last year across the district, has received renewed attention this season with the Deputy Commissioner personally reviewing arrangements continuously. “Unlike previous years, the Deputy Commissioner has taken multiple review meetings and is closely monitoring the preparations. We are fully prepared to deal with any snowfall situation,” he said. The official said that snow clearance on roads remains the primary responsibility of the R&B Department. “We have a well-defined Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in place which clearly outlines the process of snow clearance, deployment of machinery and movement of men,” he added. According to the department, the R&B Division Ganderbal is responsible for snow clearance on 590 kilometres of road length, while the Mechanical and Engineering Department (MED) covers around 80 kilometres. “In this regard, stages have already been identified, tendered and allotted,” the official said, adding that the division comprises three subdivisions - Ganderbal, Lar and Safapora. “In Ganderbal subdivision alone, eight snow clearance stages have been tendered and allotted. We have also held meetings with contractors and briefed them about the SOP and work methodology,” the official said. To ensure effective coordination during snowfall, a control room has been established at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where engineers and concerned staff will remain stationed round-the-clock. The contact numbers have also been circulated among stakeholders. Apart from this, a separate control room has also been set up at the R&B Chief Office, which will remain operational irrespective of weather conditions. The department said it has sufficient tractors and trained tractor drivers at its disposal. “In addition to contractors, we have maintained direct contact with tractor drivers to ensure swift response during emergencies,” the official said.