Jammu, Nov 16: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) J&K Executive Member Raman Suri on Thursday hailed the resumption of the chartered flight service by the Indian Army, facilitating the transportation of soldiers deployed in and around Leh, after a hiatus of six months.
The Indian Army has recently entered into a new contractual agreement resulting in the resumption of operational chartered flights from Delhi to Leh as well as from Leh to Delhi. While expressing his satisfaction over the move, Suri highlighted the significant challenges faced by the soldiers in their movement during the suspended phase of chartered flights.
He said the recent resumption of chartered flights on November 11 has alleviated the hardships faced by the soldiers, providing them with a quicker and more efficient mode of transport. Prior to the resumption, soldiers had to rely on road travel, consuming 6-7 days for the journey between Leh and Delhi.
“Whenever the road stretch from Leh to Jammu used to get closed due to heavy snowfall, soldiers faced hardships to reach their destinations. Now that the air service has been thrown open, this speaks of the priority of government with regard to taking care of the soldiers who are guarding our borders round the clock,” Raman said.
The earlier chartered flight service, crucial for soldiers on leave or returning from leave, had been suspended for over six months, which added challenges for the soldiers in Leh. With the renewed agreement, approximately 300 soldiers have already availed of the chartered flight service, reducing the travel time to a mere 2-3 hours.
The BJP leader expressed satisfaction over the timely resumption of this essential service, especially during the festive period, acknowledging the positive impact it will have on the mobility and well-being of the soldiers deployed in the challenging terrain of Ladakh.
“The Indian Army is the best in the world which cares for its soldiers and this is the reason why we civilians are able to carry out our activities smoothly. Our borders are safe and secure in the hands of the Indian Army and the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel who are monitoring them round the clock and in all weather conditions,” he said.
