Ladakh and Kargil region to remain cut off from the outside world due to snowfall
Officials of the Border Roads Organization said the recent heavy snowfall has made snow clearance on the road more difficult.
The highway connecting Srinagar and Ladakh was supposed to be thrown open for vehicular movement in April after long closure in winter but record snowfall in mid March has not only hampered further work on the road but also destroyed completed work on this important access for Ladakh and Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Border Roads Organization intensified work for snow clearance in first week of March this year.
Officials said that the recent heavy snowfall has made snow clearance on the road more difficult. "It is always difficult to clear the snow from this zigzag highway. The road runs on mountains with deep gorge on one side. The men and machinery have to take extra precautions to avoid loss of life and property while working on the road," said an official.
"They said that sometimes even trained men get confused. "One wrong step can be an invitation to death. There is often threat of avalanche and landslides," the official said. He said that officials are putting efforts to clear the road to make it safer for commuters.
Hailing the efforts of Beacon, locals said that the officials of 32 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) have always put sincere and effective efforts to keep this road clean.
Project Beacon of Border Roads Organization is responsible for constructing and maintenance of roads in border areas of Kashmir. The organization is also responsible for clearing civil and air force airport runways here. Clearance of snow from Srinagar Kargil Highway is one of the main tasks for Border Road Organization in J&K ,Because this lone road link to area is not only life line for the population living in Kargil and Ladakh region but also main supply link to thousands of troops deployed on LoC (Line of Control) with Pakistan and LAC (Line of Actual Control) with China. Delay in reopening of Srinagar Kargil Highway will affect supplies made for area from the route .
Srinagar Kargil Highway has experienced one of the heaviest snowfalls in decades this year ,From Zojila to Gumri more than 30 to 40 feet of snow fall has been recorded this year and continuous snow avalanches on road has even changed elevation of the road at many places which will definitely take time for BRO to get throw.