Srinagar, November 27: In a major rescue operation, Jammu and Kashmir police today rescued nearly 400 stranded passengers, mostly non-Kashmiri labourers at the 11,578 feet high Zojilla pass on Srinagar-Leh national highway, official sources said.
Two policemen were injured during the operation, which was launched last evening after the information was received that a convoy of Srinagar-bound civilian vehicles got stranded between India Gate and Gumri on the highway following fresh snowfall, the sources said.
Although authorities announced the closure of the arterial road, the only link between Ladakh and rest of the state early this month due to early snowfall, but special arrangements were made to facilitate the movement of over 189 light and heavy vehicles stranded at Drass, the sources said.
On November 24, around 775 passengers were airlifted by the Air Force after being stranded at Zojila Pass for over a week.
However, sources said that fresh snowfall yesterday caused slippery conditions on the road, as a result over 40 vehicles got stranded along the Zojilla Pass in Ganderbal.
“The rescue operation was completed and nearly 400 persons, mostly non-Kashmiri labourers were rescued by this evening,” sources said adding all the stranded heavy and light vehicles were also cleared.
“The rescue parties used large quantity of salt and fertiliser during the operation,” they said.
The 11,578-feet high Zojilla Pass attracts heavy snowfall during winter, as a result of which the highway usually remains closed for over six months.
–PTI–