Majid Wani oversees snow clearance operation in valley
Appreciates enggs for rescuing trapped foreign tourists at Aru
5 Dariya News (Anubhav Suri)
Jammu 22-Dec-2013
The R&B department particularly its mechanical engineering wing, on the direction of the Minister for R&B, Abdul Majid Wani, is fully geared up for snow clearance operations in the Kashmir pision, which has experienced snow fall from the afternoon of 21st December with varying intensities.Responding quickly, the mechanical engineering wing of the R&B department deployed snow clearance machines at various departments were pressed into service immediately. Almost 90% roads were cleared by eight in the morning and there was no disruption in the traffic. The average snow depth measured at different places is: Gulmarg 9 inches; Yousmarg 4inches; Aharbal 5inches; Hirpora Shopian 7inches; Dandwad Chimer Kulgam 12 inches; Verinag feeder road 6 to 9 inches; Chowgund Kammar area 12 inches; Indu Kachwan Shangus 12 inches; Pahalgam 8 inches; Aru Pahalgam 10 inches; Naristan Vangund Tral 6inches and Vangath Batagund Chatragul 5 inches. At Aru in Pahalgam a Russian couple aged 51 and 49 yrs who had got stranded were rescued by a team of engineers and maintenance staff of the Mechanical Engineering department by deploying a snow cat machine and clearing the entire stretch of Pahalgam Aru road which enabled them to drive back to the town. All the control rooms established by the Mechanical Engineering department in Kashmir valley are functional round the clock. On directions of the R&B Minister, round the clock Control Room is also functional in Jammu province which is collecting regular information from all R&B pisions and the Minister is being updated about the latest information all road links in Jammu province as well.Meanwhile, the R&B Minister has appreciated the role played by the rescue team of the Mechanical Department which rescued the foreign tourists at Aru in Pahalgam in a well planned rescue operation. The Minister exhorted all the employees of the R&B and Mechanical Engineering department to remain stationed in the field and keep a close vigil over the situation.