BRO opens strategic Srinagar-Leh highway after four months

By PIB Delhi

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) opened strategic Srinagar-Leh highway that connects Ladakh with the rest of the world on Saturday.  About 18 oil tankers and other essential commodities were initially allowed to move towards Leh/Ladakh from Zojilla pass. This was managed despite fresh snowfall in the Zojila pass.

The 425 kilometre road was closed since December last year due to heavy snowfall at Zojila pass. As per the directions from Divisional Commissioner Ladakh, there was an emergent need for stockpiling essential commodities in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Keeping that in mind the team of Project Beacon and Project Vijayak cleared fresh snow around Zojilla at the height of 11,500 feet and made the road motorable.

Snowfall of this year had broken records of the last six decades. The snow clearance operations were undertaken by project Beacon of BRO from Gagangir to zero point and the same was done by project Vijayak from Drass towards zero point.