NHAI restores Aut-Luhri road via Jalori Pass

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) today restored the Aut-Luhri highway via Jalori Pass for the movement of vehicles (4x4 ) in Kullu district. As snow clearance operations are underway, the highway will be fully open for normal traffic in the next two days.

The heavy snowfall at Jalori Pass had caused significant disruptions, cutting off the residents of Ani and Nirmand from the district headquarters, Kullu. This had resulted in considerable inconvenience for locals, who had been eagerly awaiting the restoration of this vital route.

The closure of Jalori Pass due to snowfall had also severely impacted people from the Outer Seraj area. Last week, after 36 days of closure, the bus service via the pass was resumed, only to be interrupted again due to the fresh snowfall.

As a result, 69 panchayats in the Outer Seraj (Ani and Nirmand) area were once again cut off from the district headquarters Kullu, exacerbating the difficulties faced by the residents. The snowfall on February 5 left about 25 cm of snow in Jalori Pass, closing NH-305 for all types of vehicles. Following the weather’s improvement on February 6, snow removal operations were initiated.

KL Suman, XEN of the NH (305) Aut-Luhri highway, said machinery had been pressed into service to clear snow from the Jalori Pass, with HRTC buses expected to be dispatched once the road gets completely accessible. Further, this road had been restored for 4x4 vehicles, he said. The restoration of this highway is expected to significantly ease transportation for residents and travellers in the region, especially as winter conditions continue to fluctuate.