Keylong, May 28
After remaining suspended for the last two days, vehicular movement between Keylong and Udaipur in Lahaul valley was partly restored on Thursday after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) opened an alternative temporary route near Jahlma for small vehicles.
Traffic on the route was disrupted on Tuesday after the Jahlma bridge suffered partial damage when a massive boulder hit the structure following heavy landslide activity in the area.
The incident had completely cut off road connectivity between Keylong and Udaipur and also affected traffic towards the remote Pangi and Bharmour regions of Chamba district. Hundreds of passengers and several vehicles were stranded on both sides of the highway.
The BRO worked continuously over the last two days and constructed a temporary road over a nearby nullah to restore connectivity. With the opening of the alternate route, stranded light vehicles have now started moving between Keylong, Udaipur and Manali.
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However, heavy vehicles are still not being allowed on the route as restoration work on the main road and damaged bridge is still underway. Authorities said the movement of heavy vehicles will resume only after the highway is declared safe.
Lahaul-Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana, in a social media post on Thursday, said that the BRO has temporarily restored the Jahlma alternative road for small vehicles and work on the permanent road and bridge will begin soon.
She further stated that the landslide had also damaged drinking water and irrigation schemes in nearby villages. The Jal Shakti Department has been directed to restore the damaged infrastructure on priority. While the drinking water supply scheme has already been restored, work on the irrigation scheme is currently in progress.
The administration is closely monitoring the situation as BRO teams continue restoration work in the affected area. Officials said efforts are being made to fully restore traffic movement at the earliest.
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