The Rohtang Pass was likely to be thrown open for vehicular traffic by April 10. It would be the earliest re-opening of the pass over the past 20 years. This was stated by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Chief Engineer (Project Deepak) IR Mathur while addressing mediapersons near Rahni Nullah on the Manali-Rohtang road, around 42 km from here, this afternoon.

Mathur said massive efforts were being made to open the pass and to reach the top by the first week of April. The Manali-Leh highway had now become an alternative route to the frontier areas of Leh and Ladakh, he said. The 475-km Manali-Leh highway also played a crucial role in ensuring regular Army supplies, he added.

The work of clearing snow was going on at a fast pace. Three independent groups had been deployed for clearing the 222-km Manali-Sarchu stretch of the Manali-Leh road, he added.

Commander, 38, BRTF, SK Doon said the team from Manali was just short of the Rohtang Pass, The second team was clearing snow between Kokhsar and the Rohtang Pass while the third team (clearing snow towards the Baralacha Pass) had reached Patseo. He said the Manali-Leh road was also likely to be thrown open for traffic by the first week of May this year.

The early opening of the Rohtang Pass would save money for the Border Roads Organisation and the state government that had to operate helicopter service to tribal areas in Lahaul-Spiti until the road link was restored, he added.

SOURCE: tribuneindia.com

In the wake of announcement of general election to the 15th Lok Sabha, the state Public Works Department (PWD) has planned to reopen the Chamba-Killar highway passing through the Saach Pass, at an altitude of 4,413 m, to suit the convenience of polling dates fixed for the state.

According to superintending engineer (SE) of the PWD, Dalhousie Circle, SC Dhiman, workforce would be deployed to carry out the work of restoring the highway by removing snow from the pass, though there had been mild snow this winter. The engineers and other officials of the department have been issued directions in this regard, the SE added.

“Though the highway is officially opened for vehicular traffic in the first week of June every year, now with the announcement of election schedule efforts would be made to reopen the highway in advance before the prescribed date so that transportation services could be resumed,” the SE hoped.

It may be recalled that the Saach Pass links the isolated but picturesque Pangi tribal valley with its district headquarters at Chamba.

SOURCE: tribuneindia.com