The first flight of Chopper carrying passengers landed here today marking the start of much awaited air service between Jammu and this border town.Minister for Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Information Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali flagged in the chopper carrying 5 passengers here at Sports Stadium in presence of large number of civil society members, local legislators and senior functionaries of district administration.
Describing it as a historical moment for them, the Minister congratulated the people for fulfillment of this demand after a long wait.Present on the occasion were MLA Rajouri Advocate Qammar Chowdhary, MLC Vibodh Gupta, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, ADC A.S. Chib, ACR Abdul Qayoom Mir, SSP Yougal Manhas, officers of district administration.While interacting with media persons and public, he said the inter-regional connectivity through air, road and railways being key to development, has been accorded top priority by the present dispensation. “With this objective air service to far off regions of state like Kishtwar, Paddar, Gurez, Rajouri and Poonch has been started by the state government” he added.
He also informed that to further strengthen the connectivity to twin border districts of Rajouri-Poonch, the state government has been constantly pursing the proposal for Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch railways project with the central government.Reiterating the resolve of state government to improve the road connectivity, he said strict instructions have been issued to the GREF and other executing agencies for immediate macadamization of all major roads of the district.He exhorted upon the district administration to give wide publicity to scheduled dates and time of flights and ensure that it is strictly adhered to avoid any inconvenience to the passengers.Earlier, Dr. Shahid Iqbal, the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri deliberated upon the importance of air service during medical emergencies and ceasefire violations as also for the promotion of Rajouri on state’s tourism map. He also informed that the district administration would soon identify land for construction of helipad in the district. MLA Qammar Chowdhary and MLC Vibodh Gupta also congratulated the public.