The Border Roads Organization (BRO) is steadily working towards the early reopening of Srinagar-Leh Highway this year, while it has already made efforts to keep it open till the end of the year which is unheard of. Chief Engineer of BRO, Brig IK Jaggi said that it will leave no stone unturned to ensure the early reopening of the Srinagar-Leh Highway. He said that the BRO has worked out a plan for the early reopening of this highway. “We are planning to restart the snow clearance work in the mid of February 2021. If everything goes as planned, we will reopen the road by the mid-March this year,” he said. It is be noted here that despite extreme weather conditions caused by heavy precipitation and the sub-zero temperature at the high altitude Himalayan pass of Zojilla on Srinagar – Leh highway, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has achieved an unprecedented feat in the year 2020 of keeping the road open at least till December. Never before has the traffic plied on through the Zojila pass during the winters. However, immediately, on taking over as Chief Engineer of BRO, Brig Jaggi said that he made it a point to keep the pass open at least up to the year-end. The effort has enabled movement of 4000 vehicles on the strategic highway situated at an altitude of 11500 ft during December 2020. “These include vehicles carrying essential commodities and civilian traffic,” BRO said. Brig Jaggi said that keeping the road open during the winter season is our big achievement and reflects the undying attitude of our men on the ground. He further stated that this has never happened before that Zojila Pass was open till the December end. Keeping in view its strategic importance, the highway which connects the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, the BRO was tasked to keep the road operational till the end of the year. During the process, BRO personnel have evacuated 25 vehicles stuck in the snow and icy surface along the highway during the intervening night of December 30 & 31, 2020 and brought them to the safer location at Gumri. He said that the manpower on the ground faces several challenges, however, he said that the timely assistance provided by the J&K UT administration and the Army in the shape of providing container shatters for housing the snow clearance staff proved handy.
