IAF sorties between Srinagar and Jammu begin (Lead)
January 21st, 2012 - 4:18 pm ICT by IANSSrinagar, Jan 21 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) began flying sorties between Srinagar and Jammu with two flights leaving Srinagar airport Saturday afternoon carrying passengers stranded here due to blockading of the highway following heavy snowfall in Kashmir.
“Around 250 passengers were airlifted in IAF aircraft from Srinagar to Jammu Saturday in the two sorties. The aircraft will bring back stranded passengers from Jammu to Srinagar on their return journey. We will continue the IAF special sorties Saturday as long as the weather permits. I am personally supervising the evacuation of stranded passengers,” Asghar Hussain Samoon, Kashmir divisional commissioner, told IANS here.
Reports said around 2,000 passengers have registered themselves for being airlifted through these special sorties from Srinagar to Jammu.
Authorities are giving priority to tourists in sorties from Srinagar to Jammu and to locals from Jammu to Srinagar.
The state government made special arrangements with the IAF Saturday in view of the continued blockade of the Srinagar-Jammu highway because of heavy snowfall in Banihal and Patnitop sectors of the road.
Although the Border Roads Organization (BRO) is restoring the highway for two-way traffic, local traffic department authorities said only stranded vehicles would be allowed to move on the highway towards Srinagar today.
- IAF sorties for stranded passengers in Jammu and Kashmir - Jan 20, 2012
- Over 1,200 stranded passengers ferried by IAF (Second Lead) - Jan 22, 2012
- IAF airlifts 313 stranded passengers between Leh and Srinagar - Feb 07, 2012
- IAF to run sorties for stranded passengers in Jammu and Kashmir - Jan 21, 2012
- IAF airlifts stranded Kashmiris - Jan 30, 2012
- Special IAF flights for people stranded in Kargil - Feb 06, 2012
- IAF airlifts 1,377 people in Kashmir - Jan 22, 2012
- One-way traffic likely on Srinagar-Jammu highway - Jan 20, 2012
- Fresh snowfall blocks Srinagar-Jammu highway again - Feb 15, 2012
- Srinagar-Jammu highway closed, avalanche warning - Feb 14, 2012
- Jammu-Srinagar highway open to one-way traffic - Jan 10, 2012
- Srinagar-Jammu highway opened to one-way traffic - Jan 09, 2012
- Srinagar-Jammu highway closed due to heavy snowfall - Jan 07, 2012
- Srinagar-Jammu highway closed for second day - Feb 05, 2012
- Jammu- Srinagar National Highway reopens - Feb 28, 2011
Tags: blockade, border roads, bro, divisional commissioner, heavy snowfall, iaf, indian air force, jan 21, kashmir, locals, patnitop, return journey, samoon, saturday afternoon, sectors, srinagar airport, state government, tourists, traffic department, weather