TIMBER TRAIL: A UNIQUE RESCUE OPERATION
TIMBER TRAIL: A UNIQUE RESCUE OPERATION ( 25 TH ANNIVERSARY) 25 years back ,on 13th-14th October 1992 , Indian Air force was tasked to undertake an unprecedented and daring rescue operation . It still remains unsurpassed in terms of the risk , skill and courage display Here is a firsthand account of the events, obtained from the young pilot , Flt Lt Paritosh Upadhyay, who flew all the rescue missions . Bird's eye view of timber trail A jewel in Shivaliks’ is how the tourist brochures describe the timber trail mountain resort at Parwanoo, some 35 kms from Chandigarh on the Shimla highway. The main attraction of the resort is a Rs. 35/- cable car ride which takes the tourists from ‘Timber Trail’ (elev 2000 ft) to Timber Heights (a resort on hill top at 5000 ft across the valley). On the fateful day of 13 Oct 1992, some eleven passengers boarded the cable car, for a 2.8 Km ride to the top. Most of them couples and a child. Getting their money’s wo