The highway that connects Himachal Pradesh’s Manali with Leh in Jammu & Kashmir has been closed for traffic owing to heavy snow.
An official said that the traffic between Manali and Leh has been closed since Saturday.
The Manali-Leh highway winds its way through the Rohtang Pass (13,050 ft), Baralacha Pass (16,020 ft), Lachlungla Pass (16,620 ft) and Tanglangla (17,480 ft).
It is crucial to the movement of the armed forces and their supplies and wares to forward areas in Ladakh.
An official of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation said it would take a week to restart bus services between Manali via Keylong and Leh.
Meanwhile, the 13,050 feet high Rohtang Pass, the main tourist attraction and located 52 km from Manali, was closed.
A government’s spokesperson said that locals and tourists have been advised not to travel towards the higher reaches as chances of snow and rain are high till September 25.
He said tourists and locals bound for the Rohtang Pass were not allowed to go beyond Marhi due to continuous snowfall that has resulted in snapping of road links leading to the pass.
