Anantnag: Amid fresh snowfall in upper reaches, several persons stranded at Sinthan and Margan Top were rescued on Thursday evening.
An official said, at least 16 people who were on their way to Kishtwar from south Kashmir’s Anantag district were stuck at Sinthan Top.
“The district administration Kishtwar geared up with the help of army , NHIDCL officials and police and rescued them,” he said.
An official said all of them were safely brought to the nearest army camp.
The Sinthan top had witnessed around 1.5 feet of fresh snowfall.
Meanwhile, the army in its release confirmed to have rescued the stranded travellers.
At around 3 pm , the civil administration informed the army about 16 civilians stuck on NH 244 near Sinthan Pass. Upon receiving the news, a rescue team of Army headed to the spot from Sinthan Maidan. The team walked around 15 kms on NH 244, in continuous snowfall and zero visibility condition, to reach the spot near Sinthan pass at around 6:15 PM,” it said.
The statement added that the travellers were brought to Sinthan Maidan where they were provided with medicine, food and shelter.
Anantnag- Kishtwar road remains open for traffic during summer months only as heavy snowfall at several places including Sinthan Pass—situated at 3797-meter above sea level—shuts it during winters.
This time around, the NHIDCL and district administration had cleared the road from Anantnag side in April only while the efforts to clear snow on Kishtwar side were on.
Meanwhile, several travelers on the way to Marwa and Warwan valleys of Kishtiwar were stuck at Margan Top after fresh snowfall.
“ The police team from Larnoo and the sumo drivers rescued all the stranded travellers ,” an official said.
The twin valleys of Marwa and Warwan spread over forty villages are not yet connected to the district headquarters of Kishtiwar.
Hence the 95 Km long Daksum– Margan top- Marwa road thrown open in the year 2007 and connecting it with Kokernag remains the only surface link to the outside world.
However, it is not the all-weather route and remains shut for at least six months leaving a population of around 50,000 souls cut off.
In the absence of a road facility, people have no choice but to trek to reach the main Kishtiwar or else wait till summer to travel via the Kokernag-Sinthan route.