Kulgam: Amidst rains and snow, eight tourists and two drivers were rescued by the administration near Jawahar Tunnel in Qazigund area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday.
Sub District Magistrate Dooru G R Wani told Greater Kashmir that they received a call that a group of tourists, who were on their way to Jammu, had been stuck near Jawahar Tunnel due to heavy rains and snow.
He said that soon joint teams of Police, SDRPF, and officials of the Revenue Department launched a rescue operation and ferried all the tourists to a safer location.
Wani said there were eight tourists and two drivers in the group. He said that they had been asked by someone to take the old Jawahar Tunnel route as the road via the new tunnel was closed.
“As they reached near the tunnel, it began snowing making it difficult for them to move ahead,” he said.
Wani said that all the tourists were safe and would leave towards their destination as soon as there is an improvement in the weather condition.
Meanwhile, a Police spokesman in a statement of J&K Police issued here said that on Monday morning, it received a distress call from a local tourist guide of Tangmarg, Fayaz Ahmad Mir through the Dial 112 emergency helpline that 10 tourists from Andaman and Nicobar Islands travelling in a vehicle (HR55AN 9507) on their way towards Jammu had lost their way and were stranded at an undisclosed location due to inclement weather.
The Police spokesman said that on receiving the distress call, the call taker contacted the stranded tourists and assured them of help. He said that after strenuous efforts, the location of the stranded tourists was disclosed at the higher reaches of B-Top Jawahar Tunnel, Kulgam.
The Police spokesman said that the call taker at Dial 112 further assured the stranded tourists that a rescue team was on their way.
He said that accordingly, all the concerned including Police Control Room (PCR) Kulgam were informed and a rescue operation was launched.
“The rescue team was successful in locating the stranded tourists at the higher reaches of B-Top Jawahar Tunnel and rescued them,” the Police spokesman said.
He said that the team equipped with necessary equipment and supplies braved the adverse weather conditions to reach the stranded tourists.
“They were further provided necessary assistance and help and were shifted to safe accommodation where from they again started their journey towards Jammu,” the Police spokesman said.