JAMMU: The Indian Army in association with IAF airlifted more than 160 civilians, including four critical patients, stranded in the snow-bound Gurez area of Jammu & Kashmir late on Sunday evening. The operation continued for hours as Army’s medical team carried out screening for coronavirus at the helipad itself.Udhampur-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Abhinav Navneet said, “Gurez valley is cut off from Kashmir since early November last year. On March 14, Dawar Garrison of the Indian Army received a requisition from the civil administration for evacuation of civilians stranded in Gurez and Bandipora .” Reacting to the call for help, additional civil medical staff was also inducted at Gurez in view of taking precautions against spread of Covid-19.“An isolation ward was also set up inside Dawar Garrison to quarantine any suspected case … Critically ill patients were provided immediate help … at the helipad before they could be evacuated by air,” the spokesperson added.“Helipad controlled by the Dawar Battalion of Indian Army were made operational in record time despite heavy snow cover. … The clearing of snow at Razdan Pass and on the road connecting Bandipora and Kanzalwan has already commenced and is likely to finish by the end of April,” the spokesperson said.In a similar rescue-cum-evacuation operation on March 8, Army had rescued nine people, including five women, after they were stranded in snow in the higher reaches near Dera Ki Gali.