Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 14: The State Administration today airlifted 868 passengers stranded at Jammu for the last about one week due to closure of Jammu- Srinagar National Highway after rain and landslides while authorities cleared the Highway for one way traffic after seven days this afternoon.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Dr Pawan Kotwal told the Excelsior that a total 868 stranded passengers at Jammu were airlifted to Kashmir in IL-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Udhampur airbase. He disclosed that in three sorties these passengers in the groups of 280, 289 and 299 were transported to Srinagar today.
From Jammu, they were taken to Udhampur in SRTC vehicles during early morning and from there, they were airlifted to Kashmir. He further disclosed that 200 passengers stranded at Srinagar were also brought to Udhampur in the same aircraft. Kotwal said the highway has been cleared now and there will not be any air-sortie for Kashmir tomorrow.
Inspector General of Police (Traffic), J&K Jagjit Kumar said that the National Highway was restored this afternoon and all the stranded light and medium passenger vehicles at Chanderkote, Ramban, Peera and Batote areas were cleared for Srinagar.
The IGP disclosed that he was himself supervising highway clearance work in Ramban area today and about 600 light vehicles (passenger) were cleared for Kashmir. But again fresh landslide at Meharh near Ramban, blocked the highway this evening.
The highway clearance work was again launched on war footing and it was expected to be cleared within few hours. He said at first stranded buses on both the sides will be cleared. The road near Ramsu sliding point was narrow. During over night work, this road patch will be widened.
Kumar further said no trucks and other heavy vehicles from Udhampur, Dhar Road, Nagrota Bypass, Jammu and Lower Munda and Qazigund areas were allowed to move ahead today. If the weather remained fair, the load carriers carrying essential supplies/ fuel/ LPG etc will be cleared for Kashmir tomorrow.
Meanwhile, reports from Ramban said that about 2000 passengers had been stranded in Ramban, Chanderkote and Batote areas for the last two days. Many of the stranded passengers could not get accommodation and had to spent nights in the vehicles. They were also facing lot of problems in getting food and drinking water due to scarcity.
Though District Administration Ramban accommodated many passengers in the Dak Bungalows, hotels and other Government buildings but there was no sufficient accommodation at this town. The food stuff and water scarcity was also experienced by the stranded passengers.
SSP Traffic, Jammu Nisha Nathyal, said that most of the stranded passengers at Jammu Bus Stand have been cleared but no truck/ load carrier from Nagrota Bypass, Jagti area or Udhampur side was allowed to move for Kashmir today. She said the higher authorities will review the situation during late evening and will decide the movement of traffic for tomorrow.
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