Strategic Manali-Leh (National Highway 3) opened for Army vehicles after almost five months

Keylong (HP) Apr 23 (PTI) The strategic Manali-Leh (National Highway 3) which was closed since November last year following snowfall was opened by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), officials said on Tuesday.

The entire snow clearance operations were executed by Project Deepak in Himachal Pradesh and Project Himank in Ladakh working simultaneously and the road was opened for the Army vehicles on Sunday, a statement issued here today said.

The 427-km-long highway connecting Ladakh with the rest of India via Manali is strategic for the movement of the armed forces and their supplies and wares to forward areas in Ladakh region bordering China and Pakistan. The highway is an alternate axis to the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh Highway.

Project Deepak undertook the operation from Manali to Sarchu (border of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh) and Project Himank cleared the highway from Leh to Sarchu. The teams of both units worked in extremely challenging conditions in snow storms and high-altitude areas to clear the highway.

The teams had to negotiate four important and high altitude passes, including the Baralacha La (16040 ft), Nakee La (15547 ft), Lachulung La (16616 ft) and Tanglang La (17482 ft). A significant time of snow clearance was consumed in clearance of these high mountain passes where the precipitation was more and the teams encountered snow walls of height 20-30 feet, the statement added.

As the two snow clearance teams converged to a common point which is also the inter project boundaries, a ‘Golden Handshake’ ceremony was organised at Sarchu on Tuesday.

The road will be opened only for Army Logistics convoys at present and the decision to open the road for locals and tourists will be taken by the district disaster management authorities in subsequent time frame in a phased manner, the officials said.

Opening of Manali-Leh Highway also augurs propitious times for tourism, which is the major source of living for the people of Ladakh and Lahaul & Spiti.