Manali-leh highway opened by BRO

SHIMLA:THE Border Roads Organisation has opened the Manalileh national highway for traffic after the completion of snow clearance operation on Sunday.

Manali-sarchu -Leh road has been opened for traffic after onemonth of snow clearance operartion, Border Road Task Force (BRTF) 38 commander AK Awasthi said. Situated at an elevation of 14,500 feet between the mountain passes of Baralacha and Lachulung La Pass, Sarchu is an important tourist location on the HP and Jammu and Kashmir border. The intermittent snow spells in the area had disrupted snow clearance operations.

The 13,050 feet high Rohtang Pass was opened for traffic on April 5 but it was closed thereafter due to intermittent snowfall. The pass has now been opened for locals and emergency vehicles while tourists will be allowed to ply on the road after May 15. “This year the road has been opened three weeks earlier in comparison to previous many years,” he said. The BRO escalated snow clearance on Manalisarchu after clearing off snow at the 1,606 50 feet high Baralacha Pass.

HP TO EXPERIENCE MORE THUNDERSTORMS

The hills of Himachal Pradesh will get more thunderstorms accompanying squalls for the next two days, the Met Office said on Sunday. Government issued advisory suggesting people to avoid travelling to the high hills of Kullu, Sirmaur, Chamba, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur district as chances of snow and rain are high over next 24 hours.