BRO inducts hi-tech snow cutting machines in Kashmir Valley

With snowfall blocking important highways and roads in the Kashmir Valley every winter, the Border Roads Organisation has inducted hi-tech snow clearance and cutting machines that clear one kilometer of snow in just three hours, officials said.

Snowfall in winter blocks important strategic roads including the Srinagar-Leh, Jammu-Srinagar, Gurez-Bandipora and Kupwara-Karnah highways which takes a lot of timefor clearance, they said.

To deal with the problem, seven high-tech snow cutter FRESIA machines have been purchased from Italyfor swift snow cutting and clearance of these important highways and passes.

BRO official said they have received four of the machines and the rest will be imported soon.

Officials said new machines have been put to use at Jawahar tunnel on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, Tregbal in Bandipora-Gurez road,Nowgam in Handwara and Sadhna Pass in Tanghdar, Kupwara.

"These machines are state-of-the-art snow clearance equipmentwhich will make clearance of highways easier and swift. With tremendous speed, these new machines can operate at an altitude of even 18500 ft and above and have the capability of clearing5000 tons of snow per hour, BRO officials said.

Officials said the machines can clear 1.5 meter high accumulated snow and 300 meter long in an hour. About one kilometer of the snow covered road will be cleared by the equipment in just three to four hours.