Col KP Rajendra Kumar, Commander, 38 Border Road Task Force (BRTF), Manali, said the national highway would be cleared of snow up to Darcha probably by May 15. “We have cleared the snow up to the Rani Nullah and the majestic Rohtang Pass is nearly 6 km away,” the Commander said.
However, throwing the highway open for normal traffic could take some time due to repair of the road, he added. The BRO had launched the snow-clearing operation on the Manali-Leh highway on March 19. The Rohtang Pass is strategically important to maintain supplies for the armed forces posted in the forward areas of the Ladakh region along the borders with China. The Commander said they would restore the road up to Sarchu by end of this month, while the remaining stretch would be opened for the vehicular traffic by June 15. During the snow-clearing operation, BRO personnel encountered several feet of snow. Some patches were covered under more than 40 feet of snow. Around 250 BRO personnel were engaged in the operation from both sides of the road, he said.
The work to clear snow usually starts in the first week of March. But this time, the restoration of the highway was delayed due to prolonged unfavourable weather conditions.
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