Srinagar, April 22: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said it was heartbreaking to see the exodus of “our guests” from the valley following the gruesome terror attack in Pahalgam yesterday that left 26 people dead and over a dozen injured.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after yesterday’s tragic terror attack in Pahalgam, but at the same time we totally understand why people would want to leave,” Omar said in a statement on X.
In response to the situation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation are working to arrange additional flights from Srinagar to facilitate the safe departure of stranded tourists.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44), which had been blocked due to recent landslides and flash floods, has been partially reopened for one-way traffic. The administration has been directed to prioritize tourist vehicles for outbound travel from Srinagar.
“I’ve directed the administration to facilitate traffic between Srinagar and Jammu, allowing tourist vehicles to leave,” Omar added. “This will have to be done in a controlled and organised way because the road is still unstable in places and we are also working hard to clear all the stranded vehicles.”
Authorities have emphasized that unrestricted vehicle movement is not possible at this stage due to ongoing restoration work and the fragile condition of the highway.
