Manali-Leh highway restored

Tribune News Service

Mandi, March 25

Despite inclement weather conditions, the Border Roads Oganisation (BRO) restored the 427-km long Manali-Leh highway to traffic via the Baralacha Pass today. A BRO convoy travelled from the Manali side towards Leh via the Baralacha Pass. Last year, the BRO had restored this highway to traffic on March 26.

However, the Lahaul and Spiti district administration would decided on allowing civil traffic on the highway. According to sources, it took the BRO 144 days to reopen the highway last year, while this year, the BRO restore it to traffic in 138 days.

The sources said, “In previous years, the highway was opened in May or June, and as a result the residents of Ladakh and tourists were denied connectivity. The BRO, with renewed focus on early opening of all strategic roads and passes, has been progressively reducing the closure duration and opening roads early.”

They said, “The challenging operation was started by two teams comprising skilled manpower and state-of-the-art machines. The highway was cleared under the Project Deepak from Manali to Sarchu (Ladakh border and Himachal) and from Leh to Sarchu under the Project Himank.”

This highway has strategic importance for the movement of armed forces and their supplies and wares to forward areas in the Ladakh region bordering China and Pakistan.

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