Srinagar,November 26 (Vijay Kumar) – Sonamarg-Gumri road has been closed for all types of vehicles and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has given explicit instructions that any one trying to violate this order will be dealt with sternly. This has been done for the safety of the passengers and to avoid any untoward incident on this road. Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal has imposed section 144 on this road & no vehicular traffic will be allowed on this axis.
Police spokesperson said that during the intervening night of November 25 and 26, 2009 in order to evacuate the stranded passengers and vehicles at Drass the District Administration Kargil allowed 174 vehicles including 94 HMVs, 74 LMVs and 6 buses alongwith stranded passengers from Drass to Sonamarg. Two dead bodies of labourers from Udhampur who had died at Choglamsar some three days back were also evacuated. One truck developed some technical fault late and got stranded at India Gate on Zojilla and around 30 vehicles behind it were not in a position to overtake it, as the road was very narrow and slippery.
On the instructions of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, the Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal and Superintendent of Police Ganderbal alongwith Additional Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tehsildar Kangan, SHO Kangan, Beacon and local Army units rushed to the spot and started rescue operations to evacuate the passengers, as it had started slightly snowing and the temperature had dropped to Negative 20 degrees Centigrade. The task was very difficult as the road was very slippery and in the process of evacuating the stranded passengers which included ladies and children, two policemen of Police station Kangan got injured and while Constable Parvez Ahmed broke his wrist, Constable Abdul Rehman fractured his leg; both were referred to
However, 17 trucks remained stranded at Zojilla alongwith the drivers and conductors. The rescue operation was restarted in the morning and all the 17 stranded trucks alongwith drivers and conductors were rescued. Divisional Commissioner has appreciated the rescue efforts put in by District Administration Ganderbal, District Police Ganderbal, Army and Beacon authorities, as a result of which there was no loss of life.
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