Raja Syed Rather
Ganderbal, Feb 18: The snow-clearing operation on the kilometer-long Srinagar-Leh, which is the only connecting highway to connect Ladakh with the rest of Jammu and Kashmir, is in full swing. The highway was closed on January 3 this year after heavy snowfall.
BRO officials said there had been heavy snowfall this year, adding that about 17 feet of snow had accumulated on the road along the Zojila pass.
Commanding Officer 122 RCC said Bacon’s staff, including laborers and state-of-the-art machinery have been deployed to clear the road.
“Our employees are facing a difficult situation due to heavy snowfall and slippage,” he said.
He said he hoped the snow clearing would be completed by next month.
The highway was closed on January 3 this year following heavy snowfall after remaining open for the record time despite inclement weather.
Reports said that nearly 8-10 feet of snow has accumulated along Zojila pass while 4-6 feet of snow has accumulated along Sonamarg-Baltal road.
The officer said the highway passes through mountains with a deep ravine on one side. Staff and machinery have to take extra precautions to avoid loss of life and property while working on the road.
“We have not yet set a timeline for opening the road,” he added.
