Stranded due to closure of Leh-Srinagar NH, more than 700 passengers airlifted in Indian Airforce’ IL 76 aircraft

Jammu, December 16: Stranded due to closure of the vital Leh-Srinagar national highway, the Ladakh administration airlifted a total of total of 704 stranded passengers in four sorties of Indian Airforce’ IL 76 aircraft in Leh and Srinagar. Two sorties each for Ladakh and Srinagar bound passengers were operated this morning to airlift them. Large numbers of passengers were stranded for the past three weeks.

 

A large number of passengers and vehicles are stranded on both sides of the highway at Sonamarg in Srinagar and Drass in Kargil since November 22 due to intermittent blocking of the highway and sudden closure order by the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir. The UT administration has sought intervention of the Defence Ministry to airlift the stranded passengers.

The operation of airlifting the passengers was arranged by the Administration. It had sought the intervention of the Defence Ministry for airlifting the stranded passengers. An official at the Leh Deputy Commissioner’s office said IL-76 aircraft, which has a capacity to carry 500 passengers, will land in Leh first and will fly to Srinagar with stranded passengers.