Jammu, November 21 (Scoop News) – Minister for Consumer Affair & public Distribution Qamar Ali Akhoon urged the union Minister for Defense for expediting of visual survey of construction of Zojila Tunnel so that construction work on the proposed tunnel would be started soon. He also submitted to the Union Defence Minister, A. K. Antony, a proposal for subsidizing the MI-17 helicopter services in the State and increasing the hours @ 100 hours for six months during winters. He also sought 75% subsidy for operationalizing the helicopter services in the State on the pattern of north eastern states.
Akhoon apprised this in a meeting with the Union Minister for defence at New Delhi yesterday.
He also demanded that keeping in view the remote and harsh topography and severe calamity conditions of Kargil district the AN-32 services operating from Kargil to Jammu and Kargil to Srinagar be replaced by EMBRAER-135, a 40-Seater IAF aircraft which is technologically more advanced and well suited to the weather conditions of Kargil.
Akhoon further submitted that the existing airport is only 6000 feet which hurdles in landing and take-off of big aircrafts. It needs urgent extension of more 3000 feet making it possible for big aircrafts to land and take-off from the same Airstrip. It would be of great favour for the people of Kargil if the extension is made as soon as possible.