Army rescued 15 people on Avalanche prone Gurez road in J&K
Mir TARIQ 18 December
Srinagar: Fifteen civilians caught in an avalanche escaped death on Wednesday night when they were rescued by Army on a road located at an altitude of 16000 feet located in Gureztownship of Jammu and Kashmir state.
Fifteen persons including two women were rescued by the Army and BSF troopers when they were caught in an avalanche after snow winds on Gurez Bandipora road on 16000 feetRazdanPass in Bandipora District 56 Kilometer from Srinagarsummer capital of J&K.
Though the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASB) issues advisory after snowfall in many parts of the state yesterday including Gurez, Kanzalwan, Tulail and Bagtore in Bandipora district, people stranded in Bandipora or other side in Gurez while leaving aside the SASB advisory people trek on the deadly road amid of heavy snow and avalanches.
An officer accompany the rescued person Told Rising Kashmir that they(rescued persons) were on way to Bandipora from Gurez in a vehicle and were without food and warm clothing.
“our men deployed at Razdan Pass swung into action after receiving information and launched a rescue operation and succeed in saving about fifteen persons including two women” officer said.
He added “All the persons were on way to Bandipora from Gurez in a vehicle and were without food and warm clothing”
He said they were brought to post and provided with food, clothing and necessary medical aid for the night and were finally sent to Bandipora the next day.
It is here pertinent to mention that 87 Km Gurez Bandipora road passed through Razdan Pass at height of 16,000 ft and remains closed from November to May every year. During this interval Government arranges helicopter service to lift the passagers; however the lack of sufficient helicopters is forcing passenger to choose the deadly walk on deadly road during amid snows.
“We are not mad, life is hell in Gurez during winters, though Government arranges helicopter services but the pilots in Army play tricks both with passengers and their own officers thus passenger trek on snowy avalanche prone road” said a passenger Muhammad Yasin.
“Instead of paying 1700 Rs of fare charge and facing wrath of Army Pilot we preferred the trek deadly roadside rescued passenger Ghulam Muhhmad,adding “we were waiting for helicopter but the biased influence on Army officer force us to trek in this way”
When contacted Deputy Commissioner Bandipora said “we are lifting passengers in Helicopter there is no need to trek on the deadly road”
“I am appeal people not to trek on the road in these days, if there is nay emergency, like illness of delivery or nay such emergency we are lifting people from Gurez and vice versa” DC said.
Meanwhile the family members of HCC laborer who died of Avalanche at Kanzalwan on Bandipora Gurez road one weak ago show serious concern and seek dead body of the deceased.
One Abdul Majed Lone, 35 S/O Ghulam Muhammad resident of Aragam Bandipora died on 10th December when caught in an avalanche on Kanzal wan road till then his dead has not been recovered which has created chaos and confusion among the family members.
Meanwhile Project Manager B.L Bini told Rising Kashmir a team of experts has been sent to search the dead body which might be buried in heavy snow.
We have set reward of 1.20 lac for the team who are working there to locate the dead body, Bini said.