BRO clearing snow on Manali-Leh Highway

Kullu, Apr 7: The Border Road Organisation (BRO) has begun snow-clearing operations on the 480-km long Manali-Leh Highway after heavy snowfall forced its closure during the winters, official sources today said.

Three BRO teams along with snow clearing machinery have begun operations from three different locations to clear snow from the Highway by mid-May.

The sources said the snow-clearing operations, which were normally carried out in late April or early May, were being done early this year to re-stock the supplies of the Army posted at Leh.

Since all supplies to Leh pass through this road only, the snow was likely to be cleared by May 15 and movement of traffic restored by May 20, the sources said.

The 13,050-feet-high Rohtang Pass, 55 km from Manali in Kullu district, is under 20-25 feet of snow accumulated over the past several weeks.

UNI