PDP demands immediate air lifting of stranded passengers of Kargil

JAMMU, March 09: Expressing his grave concern over hardship being faced by the stranded passengers of Kargil at Jammu and Srinagar, district president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Kargil Ghulam Murtaza today demanded immediate air lifting of the passengers. He said that more than 1000 passengers have been stranded at Jammu and about 1500 at Srinagar but authorities have not taken any step to take these helpless people to their destinations.

Addressing a press conference here this afternoon at PDP headquarters, Murtaza demanded that private airlines should be given permission to start direct air service for Kargil from Delhi, Srinagar and Jammu as passengers facing problems due to non availability of air service. He said that for the last 30 years people of Kargil have been demanding that private air service be started as their areas remains cut off the with the other parts of the country for six long months.

“The present airport at Kargil needs to be extended further by 3000ft so that flights like Boeing and other types of commercial flights can operate smoothly on the said airport. The people have been demanding since long for extension of the air port but so far nothing have been done in this regard”, he regretted and asked the authorities to immediate take some steps in this regard.

PDP leader, while demanding immediate start of the work at Zojilla tunnel, he said The project was sanctioned during the tenure of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed and so far no work has been started on the said tunnels this project”. He further said, “if work of the tunnel would be taken in hand it can benefit a lot for the people of the Ladakh region and for the whole season the people can remain connected with the state and other parts of the country”.

Demanding opening of Kargil Askardoo road, he said “this road is of very important nature for the people of Kargil and Ladakh as thousands of families are settled in Askardoo and Gilgit and other parts of northern areas of PoK and during the regime of Mufti Mohd Sayeed this road was ready to open for the general public but unfortunately so far no attention has been given by the Center and State government on this important problem of the people of the area”.(NAK)