Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 25
The vital road access to Ladakh and to Lahaul-Spiti of Himachal Pradesh, across the Rohtang pass near Manali was opened for summer traffic on Saturday. The road opening is some three-weeks in advance of normal time, largely necessitated
The road access from Ladakh to Lahaul Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, across the Rohtang pass near Manali was opened for summer traffic on Saturday.
A team, led by a doctor, was the first convoy to pass through carrying essential supplies, and approx 150 farmers to Lahaul Valley.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), a body under the Ministry of Defence, is in charge of the road opening.
This will facilitate the Centre and State Government to bring much needed relief material and medical supplies for the local population.
Also, the agriculture activities which are the backbone of the Lahaul district can now recommence.
Work to open the pass was expedited April 11 after the Government of Himachal Pradesh approached MoD to expedite the snow clearance to facilitate return of farmers to start cultivation and movement of essential supplies & relief material to Lahaul Valley in wake of COVID-19.
BRO inducted Hi-tech machinery from both ends of the pass.
Snow blizzards, freezing temperatures and frequent triggering of avalanches at Rahala Fall, Beas Nallah and Rani Nallah did delay the operations, but the snow clearance teams kept on working relentlessly day and night with all COVID-19 precautions to provide relief.
The opening of the pass means the Indian Army can start stocking up on rations for the winter period in Ladakh and Siachen, besides items of use by the civilian population of Union Territory of Ladkah.
Ladakh has two access roads — one is the 475 kms Srinagar-Leh road over the Zoji-La and other is 477 kms Manali-Leh road via Rohtang, a 13,050 feet high massif.
Both remain closed for six to seven months due to heavy snowfall.
The road across the Zojila (11,570 feet high) opened last week.
During winters, men and rations can only be moved onboard the military planes from Chandigarh, however, all equipment is moved during the summer months.
Meanwhile, the ongoing work on the 8.8 Km long Atal Tunnel below the Rohtang Pass was also stalled when the lockdown came into force.
Since, the construction of Tunnel is at a critical stage, proactive measures were taken to recommence the work and is expected to be ready by September 2020 as planned.