Srinagar: The Indian Air Force (IAF) today
airlifted 313 people of Kargil district who were stranded at
Leh and Srinagar as the AN32 courier service to Kargil could
not operate for the last two weeks due to inclement weather.
"As many as 171 passengers were airlifted from Leh to
Srinagar while 142 were flown from Srinagar to Leh in an IL-76
aircraft of the IAF," an official spokesman said.
The state government had requisitioned the aircraft from
IAF as the Kargil Courier Service, which is operated during
the winter months when the road to Ladakh is closed, could not
be operated due to heavy snowfall and inclement weather in
Kashmir and Kargil.
The passengers were taken to the Leh airport from Kargil
in State Road Transport Corporation buses as the IL-76
aircraft cannot land at Kargil airport, the spokesman said.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 07, 2012, 15:32