BANDIPORA, FEBRUARY 14 (KNS): The Bandipora district administration on Tuesday facilitated airlifting of about 75 passengers between Gurez and Bandipora including patients, students appearing in JKSSB exams and employees.

An official spokesperson said on the directions of Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Dr Owais Ahmad, a special helicopter service was put in service to airlift stranded passengers to and from snowbound Gurez valley with priority to patients and students who have to appear in various exams.

Giving details, officials said 23 passengers were airlifted from Bandipora to Badugam in Gurez while the same numbers of passengers were airlifted from Badugam to Bandipora.

Moreover 10 passengers were airlifted from Bandipora to Dawar while the same numbers of passengers were airlifted from Dawar to Bandipora.

Four Passengers were lifted from Bandipora to Purana Tulail while 4 passengers were lifted from PTL to Bandipora

The passengers included patients and students besides other locals stranded on either side.

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Dr Owais Ahmad was personally monitoring the evacuation process. The entire evacuation process was a coordinated exercise between District and Sub District authorities.

People from Gurez especially the students and their parents expressed their gratitude and hailed the timely intervention of DC Bandipora and the entire initiative of evacuation.

Gurez valley remains cut-off from the rest of the world owing to heavy Snowfall and the only road link between Gurez and Bandipora remains closed for several months.(KNS)