Srinagar-Leh highway likely to open by March end: BRO

The Srinagar-Leh highway will be opened by the end of March as the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has begun clearing the snow which had accumulated during winter, officials said on Wednesday.

Under Project Vijayak and Project Beacon, snow clearing operations on either ends of the Zojilla tunnel were launched on February 14. Project Vijayak which is responsible for the clearance of road from Zojilla to Kargil has already crossed Minimarg in Drass region.

The Union Territory of Ladakh has remained cut off from the rest of the country since December 10 after heavy snowfall led to blockade of Zojilla pass on the strategic highway which connects the country with Line of Actual Control, a BRO official said.

Chief Engineer of Project Vijayak, Brigadier Amit Sohal said that teams of the project have made exceptional efforts to ensure opening of the National Highway - 1.

"At present, the teams are making good progress in opening the road beyond Drass and they have already crossed Minimarg. We hope that the traffic on the NH-1 will be restored in a record time by the end of March this year inspite of heavy snowfall," he said.

He said that the project is mandated to undertake snow clearance of over 600 km of road in Ladakh, which are lines of sustenance for troops and locals.

In Zanskar region, the chief engineer said, the teams of the project are working to open the road from Padam to Killima, Padam to Shinkunla and from Wanla to Lingshed and Niraq across Singela.

"The early opening of these roads will facilitate resumption of relief to the local people. All important roads in the Indus, Nubra and Shyok valleys have already been opened for traffic," he said.