Braving the threat of falling prey to coronavirus and the harsh winters, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel have opened the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway. This road connects Ladakh to the rest of the world and was blocked by snow for the last four months, thereby, virtually cutting Ladakh from other regions of the country.  Incidentally, snowfall this winter was more than previous 60 years thereby making it more difficult for the BRO to clear it.

Giving details here about traffic resuming on this critically important road, defence ministry official said here on Sunday nearly 18 tankers and other essential commodities were initially allowed to move towards Leh from Zozilla pass at 11,500 feet. This was managed despite fresh snowfall in the pass, they added.

The 425-km road from Srinagar to Leh was closed since December last year due to heavy snowfall at Zojila pass. As per the directions from Divisional Commissioner Ladakh, there was an emergent need for stockpiling essential commodities in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Keeping that in mind the team of Project Beacon and Project Vijayak cleared fresh snow around Zojilla and made the road motorable.

Snowfall of this year had broken records of the last six decades. The snow clearance operations were undertaken by project Beacon of BRO from Gagangir to zero point and the same was done by project Vijayak from Drass towards zero point, officials said while elaborating upon the challenges faced by the BRO to finish this task.

This road sustains local population in Ladakh and beyond besides provide all the all-important support to the troops deployed on the Line of Actual Control(LAC) facing China and Line of Control(LOC) with Pakistan.  During the winter months, when this road is closed every year, supplies are maintained by air.

In a related development, notwithstanding the threat of COVID-19, the BRO personnel are working relentlessly to completely replace Daporijo bridge (430 feet Multi-Span Bailey Bridge), the only lifeline of Upper Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh to restore Lines of Communication for all 451 villages and security forces located along the LAC.  The armed forces have also activated isolation wards near the LAC and the LOC to deal with any case of the pandemic.

Giving details of the BRO undertaking the mission to construct the bridge, officials said more than 100 personnel of 23 BRTF/Project Arunank, on special request from the local administration, is working in full swing in spite of the dilapidated state of the existing bridge.

They said the BRO is committed to opening this vital line of communication by planned date, with all necessary precautionary measures. This bridge will ensure uninterrupted supplies like food and ammunition to the soldiers deployed on the LAC besides catering to the needs of the local population, sources said.

The BRO is the lead construction agency to build strategically important roads all along the LOC and LAC in inhospitable terrain and inclement weather.  At present, the BRO is entrusted with the responsibility of constructing 72 strategic roads mostly in states having the LAC facing China.

Given this backdrop, the BRO in the northern part of the country is presently engaged in snow clearance operations on Manali - Leh axis, day and night despite inclement weather and COVID 19 threat to provide relief to Lahaul valley and Ladakh in an earlier time frame. Presently, Rohtang Pass and Baralachala Pass are being cleared by four snow clearance teams. This is the first time, BRO personnel were inducted by air to Sarchu to carry out snow clearance of mighty Baralachala Pass from Sarchu side.