Kargil: The 425-km Srinagar-Leh national highway, considered as the lifeline of the Union Territory of Ladakh, was reopened on Saturday to carry essential commodities after remaining closed for more than four months owing to heavy snowfall along the Zojila Pass.
In view of the coronavirus outbreak, the Ladakh administration on Friday had decided to only allow limited traffic, including trucks and oil tankers, to replenish essential supplies in the cold desert which usually remains cut off from the outside world during the winter months.
The strategic highway, the only road connecting Ladakh with Jammu and Kashmir, was reopened to carry essential commodities to Ladakh region. The highway was closed in December last year due to incessant snowfall at 11,500 feet high Zojila Pass, an official of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) said.
As per the directions from Divisional Commissioner, Ladakh, Saugat Biswas, there was an emergent need to carry essential commodities to Ladakh UT, the official said, adding, Keeping that in mind, a team of project Beacon cleared the fresh snow at the Zojila Pass and made the road motorable.
About 18 oil tankers and other essential commodities have been allowed to move towards Ladakh from Sonamarg.¯
He said the snowfall this year had broken all records of the past decade but the clearance operations were undertaken by project Beacon of BRO from Gagangir to zero point and the same was done by project Vijayak from Drass towards zero point to ensure early reopening of the highway.
The BRO was very much determined to open the highway keeping in view the importance of this road and had managed to clear the road of the accumulated snow by March 15, the official said.
However, he said the Ladakh administration decided against opening the road in view of the coronavirus outbreak, while the Zojila pass again received heavy snowfall on April 1 and 2 which resulted in its closure again.
According to an order issued by the Divisional Commissioner, Ladakh, only a limited number of trucks and oil tankers carrying essential commodities will be allowed to cross through Zojila Pass till further orders.
