Srinagar-Leh road likely to be reopened tomorrow*

G N Raina

Ganderbal, Apr 27 : The strategic 434km long Srinagar-Leh highway is likely to be reopened tomorrow (Sunday), official sources said on Saturday.

Official sources told(KNS) that after remaining closed for over five months, the highway is likely to be reopened for vehicular movement tomorrow.

They said BRO and project Vijayak maintaining the Srinagar-Leh highway have completed snow clearance operation from both sides of the road.

The road was closed for vehicular movement in December last year following heavy snowfall. The highway authorities took around five months to clear the entire 434km stretch of snow.

Sources said that due to closure of highway from past five months, people in Leh, Kargil, Drass and other parts of the region have faced acute shortage of essentials, particularly vegetables and medicines.

SP Rural Kashmir Muzaffar Ahmad Shah while talking to (KNS) said that they have allowed 50 passengers who were stranded at different places of the highway from Sonamarg side to move towards Kargil and they crossed Zojila pass at around 9 am.

SHO Drass, Manzoor Hussain Mir told KNS they also allowed passengers who were stranded from Drass side 3:30 am to 6:30 am to move towards Srinagar.

Meanwhile, both the Chief Engineers of Project Vijayak and BRO is likely to throw open the strategic 434Km Srinagar-Leh highway tomorrow at Zero Point Zojila. (KNS)