J&K: BRO rescues 40 soldiers, other civilians stranded by heavy snowfall in Doda

NEW DELHI: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Tuesday rescued 60 people, including 40 soldiers of a Rashtriya Rifles unit, after they were stranded in a snowbound area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district following heavy snowfall.The high-altitude rescue and road restoration operation was carried out under Project Sampark at Chatergala Pass on the Bhaderwah–Chatergala axis, located at an altitude of about 10,500 feet.The operation began on January 24, a day after continuous snowfall for nearly 40 hours blocked the route. According to the spokesperson, personnel of the 118 Road Construction Company (RCC) under the 35 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) cleared around 38 km of road buried under five to six feet of snow. The route was reopened by the evening of January 25, allowing the safe evacuation of 20 stranded civilians and 40 personnel of the 4 Rashtriya Rifles, along with their weapons and supplies.The rescue mission was completed by the early hours of January 26 with no casualties. The operation was conducted in close coordination with the Army and helped restore critical communication links in the region despite extreme weather and difficult terrain.Meanwhile, the BRO also restored road connectivity in the Kandi-Kotranka area of Rajouri district after heavy snowfall disrupted movement in the Pir Panjal region. Snow accumulation of up to three feet had cut off the Kandi-Kotranka subdivision from Rajouri town, affecting both civilian and military movement, including medical emergency services.Personnel of the 110 RCC under the 31 BRTF launched round-the-clock snow clearance operations, using specialised equipment and manpower. A single-lane road was initially opened within 14 hours to allow controlled movement of vehicles, including emergency services.The spokesperson said that the clearance and widening work continued. Around 35 km of road was fully restored within 24 hours, ensuring safer and smoother movement in the area.