Manali-Leh highway to open by May 8

MC Thakur

MANALI, APRIL 9

The 475-km Manali-Leh highway, which remains blocked with snow in winter months, will be opened to traffic by May 8, a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) official on Monday said.

BRO Additional Director General Mohan Lal said a team of the BRO Project Himank was clearing snow from Leh to Sarchu and was expected to reach Sarchu till May 5. A Project Deepak team, which was clearing snow from Manali side, had also set a target of May 5. “We will open road till Sarchu between May 5 and 8. Then traffic will be allowed on the route,” he said.

The ADG visited Rohtang to take stock of the work progress and encourage officers and jawans engaged on the snow-clearing work on a war footing. He performed a puja there and congratulated officers and jawans for opening the pass nearly two weeks in advance.

He said it would keep on maintaining the existing Manali-Rohtang-Keylong highway even after the completion of the Rohtang tunnel. They would give green signal to the administration for the traffic movement on the Rohtang road after April 15. The ADG also provided relief to residents of the Lahaul valley by allowing the bus service between Keylong and Manali from Tuesday. He, however, asked HRTC officials to take special care.

Talking about the opening of the Manali-Kaza road that passes through the Kunzam Pass, the ADG said a team had moved from Gramphu towards Kunzam three days back while another team was already moving from Losar to Kunzam.

“Snow from Kunzam is expected to clear by May 5 and we need additional 15 days to improve surface conditions. The stretch has experienced many avalanches,” he said.

He also said the Darcha-Shinkula-Padum road would be opened by 2019. A tunnel was proposed to be built under the Shinkula Pass to make the road all-weather. The proposal for the tunnel was with the Ministry of Defence.

“Once we get sanctions in a few months, the formalities like survey and detailed project report will take nearly two years and we will immediately start the work,” he added.

The road through Shinkula will connect Manali with Zanskar which will further join the Leh-Kargil highway. The road will bypass Baralacha and Tanglang La, making it shorter and convenient.

Operation under way 

• To clear the Manali-Kaza road that passes through the Kunzam Pass, a team has moved from Gramphu towards Kunzam three days back while another team is moving from Losar to Kunzam
• Snow from Kunzam is expected to clear by May 5 
• The Darcha-Shinkula-Padum road will be opened by 2019
• A tunnel is proposed to be built under the Shinkula Pass to make the road all-weather 
• The road through Shinkula will connect Manali with Zanskar which will further join the Leh-Kargil highway. It will bypass Baralacha and Tanglang La