With the latest snowfall on higher reaches the roads going across high passes like Zoji La, Razdan Pass, Sadhna Pass and Pir ki Gali have been closed. Authorities may try to keep these open but eventually with heavier snowfall, these will get totally closed for the duration of winter. Places like Gurez, Tanghdar, Kargil, Zanskar are totally isolated in winter. The only link is through a courier service operated by the Indian Air Force on the request of the State Government for which payment has to be made to the Ministry of Defence. Sometimes, helicopter rescues are sought through the concerned Deputy Commissioners to transport sick people. However, there is no regular air service to these places. A couple of decades back the State Government had set up a Department of Civil Aviation for connecting these remote places especially during winter. A couple of helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft were purchased. However, the service was never operated and the aircraft were mostly utilized for VIP movement by the Chief Minister and other Ministers. Only sometimes these were used for helping people in distress. There is an urgent need to start a regular air service either through helicopters or through small fixed wing aircraft to these places in winter. It may not be possible for the State Government itself to operate such a service on a regular basis. The ideal would be to collaborate with some existing airlines such as Indigo, Air Asia or any other willing airline which have small fixed wing aircraft or even helicopters. Some of these airlines are already operating services to a number of remote areas. The government may have to initially subsidize the services by waiving off taxes on fuel etc. or even by giving some subsidy on the tickets. In the long run once the services pick up; these may be continued even in summer and may eventually run on a self-sustaining basis. There have been proposals, some of which are already being implemented, for tunneling various high mountain passes like Zoji La. These tunnels may take a long time to get completed. In the meantime, there is no harm in exploring the possibility of regular air connections which can be started immediately as these do not need setting up of massive infrastructure and can be operated in makeshift arrangements. Such a measure would be a great public service and would be very much appreciated by the people of these remote areas who have to suffer during severe winter conditions.
Connecting remote places in winter
