SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government is set to launch helicopter services to remote area, including Gurez, Karnah, and Tangdhar, to ensure connectivity to these snowbound areas.

An official said that a private Jet Serve Aviation company conducted a trial run for a helicopter service to Gurez Valley today.

He said that the trial run was conducted in the Bagtore area of Gurez and helicopter service to Bagtore, Baduaab, Dawar, and Badugaam villages will start soon. Similar trials will be conducted in other snowbound areas, including Karnah and Tangdhar, he said.

He official said that the service has been introduced to assess the feasibility of providing aerial connectivity during emergencies.

The helicopter service will primarily cater to emergency evacuations of patients, government employees, and students, among others, the official added.

Heavy snowfall has left these areas out of bounds as Bandipora-Gurez, Kupwara-Tangdhar, and Karnah-Chowkibal roads remain closed.