STATE TIMES NEWS
Leh: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has commenced work for the reopening of the strategic Leh-Manali National Highway in Ladakh union territory, officials said on Thursday.
The highway, which lies across high-altitude areas in the Himalayas, remains closed for several months during peak winters due to heavy snow.
“Project Himank has commenced snow clearance works to clear the accumulated snow and restore access to the Ladakh region from Manali side,” a defence spokesperson said.
A team of engineers of the Border Road Task Force (BRTF) have been tasked with snow clearing and provided with advanced equipment, he said.
The extreme cold climatic conditions, gusty winds and sub-zero temperatures in treacherous terrain at altitudes ranging beyond 17,000 feet makes the work more challenging, the spokesman said.
“Despite this, the team of BRO is working tirelessly to reopen the highway and timely restore the crucial link to Ladakh,” he added.
This 427-km long highway connecting Ladakh to the rest of India via Manali in Himachal Pradesh has strategic importance for the movement of the armed forces and their supplies to forward areas in Ladakh, apart from connecting the people of Ladakh to the rest of India.
Every winter, this national highway witnesses extreme weather conditions leading to heavy snowfall and avalanches, which leads to road closure, the spokesperson said.