Srinagar-Leh Highway to be closed from Nov 1

Srinagar, Oct 2: The 434-km long Srinagar-Leh National Highway will be formally closed for the winter months from November 1 to avoid any untoward incident, officials said here on Thursday, Oct 2.

The road will be closed for vehicular traffic, they added.

Scores of people were killed when they were caught in snow storm on the Highway in November 2001.

The road experienced about 10-25 feet of snow at different places, including Zojila, Zero Point and Gumri. The road also passes through Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia.

There is a proposal to make a tunnel near Zojila to make it a all-weather road.

The authorities claimed to have stocked essential commodities at different places in Kargil and Leh districts for the winter months.

UNI