The strategic Srinagar-leh National Highway was reopened on Wednesday to reconnect far-off ladakh region with Kashmir Valley after remaining closed for more than five months due to heavy winter snowfall.
General Officer Commanding of Srinagar based XV Corps lt Gen. Subrata Saha flagged off an Army convoy near the base of Zoji la mountain. The Zoji la is the highly treacherous mountain pass that blocks due to snowfall and frozen snow hampers passage of vehicle during the entire winter season.
This leaves the expansive ladakh region and its sparse population dependent on fair-weather aerial connectivity. The region encounters tremendous hardships on account of supply of essential commodities and situations arisen due to exigencies.
An officer of the Project Beacon — a Border Roads Organisation subsidiary said the Zoji la stretch on the 434-kilometre highway was covered under a thick layer of snow ranging between 30 to 40 feet.
Though ladakh region is connected through alternate Manali (Himachal Pradesh) route but that also remains cut-off in winter months. The Srinagar-leh highway is crucial for supplies to strategic areas along the line of Control (loC) and the Siachin Glacier.
Another important road-link between Kargil and Skardu (in PoK) is closed for ages and the local population is demanding its reopening on the patters on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakot highways. The PDP-BJP coalition has promised to reopen the blocked roads to strengthen people to people contact.
“This road besides boosting tourism in Kashmir and ladakh, also serves as a lifeline to the entire ladakh Region. Its importance to the tourism sector is significant as it provides land connectivity through some of the most breathtaking terrain in the country providing a lifetime experience to all those undertaking the journey” lt Gen Saha said.
Officials said that snow clearance operation along the road was delayed due to fresh snowfall in March and April this year. However, the BRO authorities restarted snow-clearance simultaneously from Dras and Sonamarg to declare the strategic highway open.
The people in Kargil say that the winter blockade of the highway is the major roadblock in the progress of the forlorn region. In this backdrop, the Central Government has approved construction of a tunnel at Zoji la pass to make it all weather road.
The foundation stone was laid to the project but formal work is yet to take off. The construction of Zoji la tunnel would be part of Rs20,000 crore road projects in Jammu & Kashmir.