3,530 Stranded passengers airlifted from Jammu, Srinagar

Jammu, Mar 1 (UNI) Indian Air Force planes continued to shuttle between Jammu and Srinagar today, airlifting 1,841 more stranded passengers to their destinations as the 300-Km-long National Highway connecting the two cities remained closed on the ninth consecutive day.

A total of 3,530 stranded passengers -- 2,121 from Jammu and 1,409 from Srinagar -- were airlifted in 27 sorties since yesterday, defence spokesman Lt Col S D Goswami told UNI.

An IAF fleet of four AN-32 and ILl-76 aircraft carried 1,095 passengers from Jammu to Srinagar and 746 passengers from Srinagar to Jammu in 14 sorties today, the spokesman said.

The Army and IAF launched 'operation hamsafar' yesterday to help stranded people reach their destinations, after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ordered free airlift.

Besides Air Force Station Jammu, passengers were also airlifted from Udhampur, where bad weather grounded the efforts of military and civil administration.

The special IAF aircraft were flown from Chandigarh to Jammu and Udhampur Air Force Stations for Operation Humsafar.

Adequate refreshment, food and medical facilities were provided to the passengers by the Army along with sufficient accommodation both in Jammu (also in Udhampur) and Srinagar.

The Prime Minister, after his telephonic conversation with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, issued orders for a two-day free air service for the stranded passengers through special.

UNI