9,000 stranded passengers airlifted in J-K

JAMMU: Around 9,000 stranded passengers, including women and children, have been airlifted to their destinations by 61 sorties of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jammu and Kashmir in the past two days, according to officials.

The IAF sorties were conducted as part of 'Operation Humsafar' to rescue the stranded passengers on the 300-kms long Jammu-Srinagar national highway which remained closed for nearly 10 days following snowfall at Panthal, 160 kms from.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had taken up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, follwoing which the IAF planes were pressed into service, the officials said.

The CM himself monitored the entire operation on an hourly basis by posting Divisional Commissioners at various places to oversee the smooth conduct of the airlifting operation, they said.

The passengers also appreciated the role Army and Airforce in this regard, they added.