SRINAGAR: Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Monday said that under ‘Project Vijayak’ the road from Srinagar to Leh has been connected on either side after two month long snow clearance operation.
BRO said that they are also making an all out efforts to clear the snow from Drass side to Zojilla Pass, which recorded heavy snow accumulation during winter.
“Complete stretch is under heavy avalanche zone and the snow clearance team is facing an extreme challenge on daily basis. 55 RCC of 762 BRTF of Project Vijayak are undertaking the challenge. The team has reached zero point which is a heavy avalanche prone zone,” Commander 762 BRTF of Project Vijayak Col Rajeev Lohani said in a statement.
He said that men and machinery are involved to clear snow of Zojila Pass and the operation goes without ant break.
“As the snow clearance teams of Project Vijayak approach to Zojilla every inch of snow clearance proves challenging for the BRO personnel due to unprecedented snow accumulation,” Col Rajeev Lohani. Sonamarg -Leh road remains closed from December to mid-April due to heavy snow accumulation on the highway.
This winter extremely heavy snowfall occurred during winter and heavy snow has accumulated at Zojilla Pass.
Col Rajeev Lohani said that the snow clearance may take some more days for widening activities before the Highway is officially thrown open for public.
He said that atleast 50 feet snow is accumulated on the hills along the road and once the track is cleared off snow and made motorable, the stretch will become a tourist attraction after Sonamarg for its snow sites and glacial hilltops.
