Back to Index

Manali-Leh highway cleared for traffic

        Manali-Leh highway (Himachal Pradesh): The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is clearing the high altitude 480-km-long Manali-Leh Highway for traffic. Three of its teams, armed with the snow-clearing machinery, are working to clear the snow at three different places. "This road is very important from the army point of view because all supplies to Leh go from this route only. Earlier, we used to open it a little late but due to strategic requirement, we are opening it as early as possible. All winter-stocking of the army will be done through this road only. So it is likely to be opened by May 15," said Rajesh Mittal, Commander of the Border Roads Task Force. Clearing the snow is not without risks as landslides due melting of glaciers are frequent in the region. "We pray that God helps us. Of course it's risky. We don't know when the glacier will start melting. The winds are harsh as well. But we are doing our best," Vinod Kumar, a driver of a snow clearing machine said. The highway connecting Manali in Himachal Pradesh and Leh in Jammu and Kashmir will be opened in May, after it remained closed for several months during winter season. The 13,050-feet-high Rohtang Pass, 55 km from the highway, is currently under 20-25 feet of snow accumulated over the past several weeks. The region received a heavy spell of snowfall in March also. There are only two roads leading to the landlocked Ladakh region - the Srinagar-Leh Highway, which runs close to Indo-Pakistan border and the Manali-Leh Highway.
-April 5,  2007