Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday chaired a comprehensive review meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar to assess winter preparedness across the Kashmir and Jammu divisions. The meeting examined the arrangements being made to keep essential services running and to protect public convenience through the cold months ahead.
The review covered key preparations for the season, including snow clearance operations, advance stocking of essential food supplies, fuel and medicines, and round-the-clock operational readiness of emergency services and control rooms.
Stressing the need for proactive planning and effective inter-departmental coordination, the Chief Minister directed all concerned departments to ensure a timely response to winter-related challenges and to maintain the uninterrupted delivery of essential services. He emphasised the importance of uninterrupted power and water supply, sustained road connectivity and prompt emergency response, so that inconvenience to the public is kept to a minimum during adverse weather.
Omar Abdullah further underscored the need to prioritise public safety and convenience, calling for coordinated efforts among departments throughout the winter season.
Winter preparedness is among the most important administrative exercises of the year in Jammu and Kashmir. Heavy snowfall in the higher reaches and the Valley can block highways, disrupt electricity and water supply, cut off remote villages and strain the availability of fuel, medicines and food. The traditional forty-day period of intense cold known as Chillai Kalan, which begins on December 21, usually brings the harshest conditions, and early planning is meant to ensure that departments are ready well before it starts.
The Kashmir Valley and the Jammu division face different kinds of challenges in the cold season. While the Valley and the mountainous districts contend with snow, freezing temperatures and road closures, parts of the plains in Jammu see dense fog and low temperatures that affect travel and daily life. A coordinated review covering both divisions is therefore important for ensuring that no region is left behind.
Residents across the Union Territory typically look to the administration for dependable power supply, timely snow clearance on arterial roads and link roads, availability of cooking gas and fuel, and functioning health services in remote areas. Control rooms that remain active around the clock are a vital part of this system, since they allow quick communication between the public, field staff and departmental heads when emergencies arise.
The Chief Minister’s directions signal that the government intends to treat preparedness as a collective responsibility of all departments rather than the concern of a few, with the aim of ensuring that essential services remain accessible to people through the winter of 2026-27.
