Snow clearing work on Leh road begins

Our Correspondent

Kullu, March 1

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) launched a snow-clearing operation on the strategic 479-km-long Manali-Leh national highway today.

They started the operation from the Beas Nullah after performing a yajana. The 13,050-foot Rohtang Pass experiences a heavy snowfall during the winter and the Lahaul valley remains cut off for about six months from the rest of the world.

Col KP Rajendra Kumar, Commander, 38 Border Road Task Force (BRTF), Manali, said it was for the first time the snow-clearing process started from near Marhi as the area had experienced less snowfall this year. He said, “We are hoping to reach Rohtang top from both sides by the end of this month and restore the 222-km-long stretch up to Sarchu by April, while the remaining stretch would be opened to vehicular traffic by June.

He said three teams comprising 90 personnel had been deployed at Marhi, Koksar and Jespa for this operation. The Commander said dozens of dozers, snow cutters and excavators had been pressed into service to clear the road.

While last year the restoration of the highway, which is strategically important from the defence point of view, was delayed due to prolonged unfavourable weather conditions, this year the BRO had commenced the snow-clearing operation on schedule.