Shimla, May 18
Manali-Leh highway after remaining closed ‘for vehicular traffic for more than five months today opened for light vehicle.
A statement issued by Deputy commissioner Lahaul Spiti Kamalkant Saroch said that snow clearance on the 13050 ft high Rohtang pass was done to clear one way traffic on Sunday.
He said that police rescue post set up at Marhi and Koksar have been removed on Saturday . He advised the people to venture on the highway keeping weather conditions in mind.
This highway was closed for vehicular traffic since December 2019, he informed.
Administration is likely to open Vehicular traffic between Keylong and Manali on Monday or Tuesday.
The strategic highway provides valuable assistance for the armed forces to access areas in Ladakh on the other side of state border.
The construction wing of Indian Army, Border Road Organization (BRO) maintains this strategic highways in the country.
BRO’s ‘Project Deepak’ is responsible for clearing snow on the 222-km Sarchu-Manali highway while ‘Project Himank’ takes care of the 253-km Leh-Sarchu highway.
Due to prolonged winter this year about 30-35 feet high snow had mounted in some stretches close to Rohtang pass and Baralacha Pass, posing a big challenge to those clearing the snow.
The 475-km stretch, links the Himachal Pradesh tourist city Manali with Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Manali-Leh highway pass across Rohtang Pass (13,050 feet), Baralacha Pass (16,020 feet), Lachlungla Pass (16,620 feet) and Tanglangla (17,480 feet).
