BRO, PWD intensify snow clearance work in Lahaul-Spiti

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Public Works Department (PWD) have intensified their efforts to restore traffic movement in Lahaul and Spiti district that was disrupted following heavy snowfall. Uptill now, five of 134 roads in the district have been cleared for vehicular movement, with the work to restore more roads for transportation is underway.

The BRO has successfully restored connectivity between Manali and Keylong as well as on the Tandi-Udaipur-Tindi and Keylong-Darcha roads. The work is underway to re-establish road access beyond Tindi towards the Pangi region of Chamba district along the Sansari-Killar-Thirot-Tandi road. The efforts are being made to ensure that all remote areas of the district are accessible and facilitate the movement of goods and people in the region.

Meanwhile, the youth of Mooling and Bargul villages in Lahaul and Spiti have come together to restore three crucial roads in Mooling panchayat that were blocked following heavy snowfall. Around 15 members of the Mooling and Bargul Youth Mandal worked tirelessly with shovels and other hand tools to clear nearly 4 km of snow-covered Mooling-Pul-Bargul, Mooling and Bargul roads. The clearing operations took about seven hours and the village youth were able to remove up to 1.5 feet of snow in some areas. They also cleared the debris of small avalanches that had blocked roads.

The efforts of the youth were led by the up-pradhan of Mooling panchayat, Sushil Kumar. Sanjay Katoch of Bargul said they used shovels to clear snow and were proud of their achievement. The youth’s efforts have been widely appreciated, as they have ensured that villagers can now easily transport patients to the hospital in Keylong.

Meanwhile, the workers of HP State Electricity Board Ltd (HPSEBL) are working under adverse weather conditions to restore power supply in the Udaipur region, which was disrupted due to heavy snowfall that lasted for two days. Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar has commended the efforts of the youth and the dedication shown by the BRO, PWD and the Electricity Department in overcoming the challenges posed by the snowfall.

The Deputy Commissioner said the BRO and the PWD were working to restore road connectivity in district at the earliest.