Relief for Lahaul residents as Manali-Leh highway restored after 8 days

In a major relief to the residents of Lahaul valley, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) restored the crucial Manali-Leh highway, connecting the valley to the rest of the state after an eight-day disruption caused by heavy snowfall. The highway, which connects Manali to Keylong, had been closed to traffic since February 26 due to heavy snowfall, leaving the residents of the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti cut off from the rest of Himachal Pradesh.

The restoration of the highway was a significant achievement, with the BRO clearing the snow and making the road accessible for 4x4 vehicles. This development follows the improvement in weather conditions which allowed the BRO to ramp up its snow-clearing operations. The restoration of the highway is not only crucial for transportation but also for evacuating stranded residents. The BRO yesterday managed to reopen the Manali-Leh highway from Manali to Sissu, facilitating the evacuation of 75 people who had been stuck in Sissu for six days due to the snow blockade.

Today, the BRO extended the restored route to Keylong from Sissu, providing much-needed relief to the people of Lahaul valley. The BRO has also restored road connectivity in other parts of the region, including the routes from Tandi to Jispa, Tandi to Shansha and Thirot to Udaipur. In Spiti valley, roads from Sichling-Kaza to Moorang and Sumdo to Sichling have also been cleared for 4x4 vehicles.

Despite these efforts, 158 roads in the district still remain blocked, and the BRO, along with the Public Works Department (PWD), is working to restore connectivity across Lahaul and Spiti. In addition to the road closures, 185 electricity transformers are also disrupted due to the snow, leaving a significant portion of the district in darkness.

Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana praised the BRO for its efforts in reopening the Manali-Leh highway and directed the PWD, BRO and Himachal Pradesh State Electricity authorities to expedite the restoration of road and power supply services to affected areas.

Snow avalanche warning has been issued in Lahaul and Spiti for March 6 and people have been advised by the administration to avoid venturing to snow-avalanche prone areas during that period