BRO begins snow clearance on Leh-Manali national highway

Jammu, March 21

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has started the work to clear the Leh-Manali National Highway, which has been shut due to snow accumulation.

Every winter, the strategically important National Highway-3, connecting Leh with Manali, witnesses extreme weather conditions leading to heavy snowfall and avalanches, blocking the road starting from November till it is cleared by the BRO. This poses significant challenges for residents and security forces in Ladakh, who rely on the highway for essential supplies, medical emergencies and connectivity to the rest of the country.

In an official statement, the Army stated that under the Project HIMANK, the BRO had commenced work to clear the accumulated snow and restore access to Ladakh region from the Manali side.

“A team of highly skilled engineers of 111 RCC/753 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) along with most advanced snow clearing machineries and equipment have been deployed for the massive task of snow clearance. The extreme cold climatic conditions, gusty winds and sub-zero temperatures in treacherous terrain at altitudes ranging beyond 17,000 feet makes the work more challenging, despite which the BRO team is working tirelessly to reopen the highway and timely restore the crucial link to Ladakh,” the statement read.

It further stated that efforts of the BRO’s snow clearance team would not only alleviate the hardships faced by residents of Ladakh, but would also enhance the operational capability of the Army.