Men of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) have initiated the challenging job of removing the heavy accumulation of snow to reopen the strategic Leh-Manali highway.
A defence spokesman said on Thursday that every winter, the strategically important National Highway-03, connecting Leh in Ladakh with Manali in Himachal Pradesh witnesses extreme weather conditions leading to heavy snowfall and avalanches, blocking the road.
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This poses significant challenges for the inhabitants and security forces in Ladakh, who rely on the highway for essential supplies, medical emergencies and connectivity to the rest of the country.
Under BRO’s Project Himank, the work on snow clearance was started to remove the accumulated snow and restore access to Ladakh Region from the Manali side.
A team of highly skilled engineers of 111 RCC/753 BRTF along with most advanced snow clearing machines and equipment have been deployed for this massive task of snow clearance.
The extreme cold climatic conditions, gusty winds and sub-zero temperatures in treacherous terrain at altitudes ranging beyond 17,000 ft makes the work more challenging. Despite the inclement weather, the BRO team was working tirelessly to reopen the highway and timely restore the crucial link to Ladakh, he said.
The efforts of BRO’s snow clearance team will not only alleviate the hardships faced by the residents of Ladakh but will also enhance the operational capability of Military forces in the region, demonstrating BRO’s unwavering commitment towards nation building, the spokesman added.