Kargil/ Dec. 26: To review the arrangements for the operation of AN-32 aircraft between Kargil and Srinagar and Jammu, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC, Kargil, Feroz Ahmad Khan held a meeting with concerned officers at Council Secretariat here today.

Executive Councillor for Horticulture Aga Syed Hassan Armaan, Executive Councillor for Tourism Er Phunsog Tashi, Deputy Commissioner and CEO, LAHDC, Kargil Baseer ul Haq Choudhary, Senior Superintendent of Police Kargil Dr Vinod Kumar besides other concerned officers of the Indian Air Force and District and Police Administration attended the meeting.

Various issues and necessary arrangements related to the operation of flights were discussed in detail and decisions were taken accordingly.

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The CEC said that AN-32 Air Force Courier Service from Kargil to Srinagar and Kargil to Jammu would start operations tentatively in the first week of January, 2021 and instructed the officers concerned to ensure all required arrangements and other modalities on part of the local administration are put in place well in time so that the courier services during the winter season are operated in a hassle-free manner.

The CEC said that liaison officers for operation of the Courier Service have already been nominated whom people can contact for booking of tickets and other related matters.

Facilities including the deployment of security personnel, medical team, power and water supply, fire tenders, heating and canteen arrangements for passengers, transportation to and from the airport besides other necessary arrangements also came up for discussion.

With regard to facilitating passengers at Udhampur and Leh during the operation of IL-76 aircrafts, Khan directed the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police Kargil to coordinate with the District and Police Administration of these districts.

The CEC instructed the concerned officers to ensure that tickets are issued on first come first serve basis and priority be given to ladies, old aged persons, infants and patients. He also asked Executive Engineer R&B Kargil to make arrangements of rooms for Liaison Officers at Kargil House Srinagar and Jammu for issuance of tickets to passengers.

The meeting deliberated on several aspects in connection with alternate ways during flight cancellations due to bad weather condition and other unavoidable reasons, rush periods especially during the months of February and March/April, availability of alternate IL-76 or C-17 for stranded passengers, space for ticket counters, bus transportation, ticket fare among others.

Arrangements for medical screening of passengers before boarding besides ensuring other arrangements like provision of fresh triple layered masks and face shield, social distancing requirements other necessary arrangements were also discussed in detail.

The CEC directed the Chief Medical Officer Kargil to issue adequate quota of sanitizers, masks and face shield from the existing quota and in the meantime procure sufficient number of face shields, masks and sanitizers for usage of the passengers travelling via the AN-32 Courrier Service and IL-76. He was further directed to ensure Rapid as well as RT-PCR testing of all inbound passengers at Kargil Airport besides also ensuring to keep ambulances and screening team in all readiness at Kargil, Jammu and Srinagar airport to meet medical exigencies.

The meeting was informed that in case the flight is not able to land at Jammu airport due to bad weather, it will land at Chandigarh.

 CEC Khan also directed the Liaison Officers to keep complete information about the passengers having travelled to foreign countries during the recent months keeping in view the new strains of COVID-19.

It was decided during the meeting that the passengers shall mandatorily commute through the SRTC bus service to and from the Kargil Airport for which the Manager SRTC, Kargil was directed to keep sufficient number of buses at the disposal of the concerned Liaison Officer.

It was further decided that maximum capacity of passengers travelling through AN-32 would be 25 per sortie and no passenger would be allowed on board without mask.

The meeting was further informed that the air fare this year will be inclusive of the Rs 250 additional charges on account of the CISF Fund.

Meanwhile, the CEC expressed gratitude to the UT Administration Ladakh and Indian Air Force (IAF) for their continued support and cooperation for ensuring the operation of air services for the people of Kargil like previous years.