Border Roads Organisation rescued 60 people, including 40 Rashtriya Rifles soldiers, stranded at Chatergala Pass in Jammu and Kashmir Doda district after heavy snowfall. The high-altitude rescue was carried out under Project Sampark with zero casualties
Vehicles stuck in the snow after fresh snowfall, in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. (Pic/PTI)
As many as 60 persons, including 40 soldiers of a Rashtriya Rifles unit, were rescued by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) after they were stranded in a snowbound area in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district.
According to the PTI, the BRO successfully carried out the high-altitude rescue and road restoration operation under Project Sampark at Chatergala Pass, situated at an altitude of 10,500 ft in the Bhaderwah-Chatergala axis, the spokesman said in a statement.
He added that the 118 Road Construction Company (RCC) of the 35 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) began the operation on Saturday, January 24, a day after heavy snowfall, which continued for nearly 40 hours. The heavy snowfall in parts of Jammu and Kashmir covered approximately 38 km of road covered with five to six feet of snow.
However, the route was opened by January 25 evening, enabling safe evacuation of 20 stranded civilians and 40 personnel of the 4 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), along with weapons and stores, the spokesman said.
The rescue mission was completed by the early hours of January 26 with zero casualties, underscoring the professionalism of BRO personnel operating in the challenging high-altitude terrain amid extreme weather conditions, reported the PTI.
The statement from the officials further highlighted that the operation was executed in close coordination with the Army, ensuring swift relief and the restoration of critical communication links in the region.
Meanwhile, the spokesman also asserted, “The BRO also restored connectivity of strategic roads in the Kandi-Kotranka area of Rajouri district,” PTI reported.
Following a spell of heavy snowfall in the Rajouri-Kandi-Budhal area on Tuesday, the BRO undertook immediate and sustained snow clearance operations to restore vital road connectivity in the region.
The spokesperson also mentioned, “The snow cover, measuring up to three feet, had disrupted movement along a critical road stretch in the Pir Panjal region, cutting off the Kandi-Kotranka subdivision from Rajouri town.”
He further added that the intense snowfall had disrupted military and civilian movement, including medical emergency services.
Rescue operation carried out under ‘Project Sampark’
Despite the high operational risks, he said BRO personnel of the 110 RCC of 31 BRTF under Project Sampark carried out sustained day and night operations, deploying specialised snow clearance equipment and manpower.
As a result of concerted efforts, a single-lane road was opened initially, enabling controlled vehicular movement. While briefing about the incident, the spokesperson said that the swift response ensured the resumption of traffic within 14 hours, including the movement of emergency and essential services.
The statement from the BRO also noted, “Clearance and widening operations continued relentlessly, and the road was further widened to facilitate safer and smoother movement. A total stretch of approximately 35 km was cleared and restored within 24 hours,” as per PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
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