By IANS,
Shimla: The Rohtang Pass, the crucial road link between Manali in Kullu district and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh, would be re-opened for vehicular traffic this week, an official said Sunday.
The pass has been closed for traffic since Dec 10 last year due to heavy snowfall in the region, which is an annual feature.
“The snow clearing operation that started March 2 is likely to be over by end of this week. With this, the road connectivity with the Lahaul Valley would be restored,” S.K. Doon, commander of General Reserve Engineering Force’s (GREF) 38 Task Force, told IANS on the phone from Manali.
The GREF is a wing of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) that maintains the highway.
“We are now clearing snow on the last five-km stretch. This is a crucial phase as the icy stretch is slippery and sometimes high velocity winds make the job really tough for our men,” he said.
The majestic Rohtang Pass, located 52 km from Manali, lies on the Manali-Leh National Highway-21.
An official of the BRO said the entire stretch of the 475 km Manali-Leh highway would be re-opened for the traffic by mid of May.
The Manali-Leh highway passes through the most rugged and inhospitable terrain. The highway plays an important role for the movement of the armed forces to the forward areas in Ladakh.