<p>Sources in the civil aviation ministry said the ministry and Air India officials met the state government representatives last week, and decided to start the service at the earliest.<br />Air India will operate small aircraft on the route, especially during the winter months when the close of Zojilla pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway leaves the entire Ladakh division cut off from rest of the world for almost six months.<br /><br />Kargil, in Ladakh division, was in the news in the summer of 1999 when Pakistani troops entered into the Indian side and occupied the bunkers overlooking the strategic 434-km long Srinagar-Leh highway. The Indian troops took 50 days to evict the Pakistanis from the Himalayan heights.<br /><br />While there are air services between Srinagar-Leh, Jammu-Leh and Delhi-Leh, there are no services for the people of Kargil.<br /><br />The residents of Kargil have been persistently demanding start of air service to the town.</p>
<p>Sources in the civil aviation ministry said the ministry and Air India officials met the state government representatives last week, and decided to start the service at the earliest.<br />Air India will operate small aircraft on the route, especially during the winter months when the close of Zojilla pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway leaves the entire Ladakh division cut off from rest of the world for almost six months.<br /><br />Kargil, in Ladakh division, was in the news in the summer of 1999 when Pakistani troops entered into the Indian side and occupied the bunkers overlooking the strategic 434-km long Srinagar-Leh highway. The Indian troops took 50 days to evict the Pakistanis from the Himalayan heights.<br /><br />While there are air services between Srinagar-Leh, Jammu-Leh and Delhi-Leh, there are no services for the people of Kargil.<br /><br />The residents of Kargil have been persistently demanding start of air service to the town.</p>