Srinagar-Leh highway reopens in record 68 days this year!

In a latest development, Srinagar-Leh national highway has been reopened for vehicular traffic on Thursday after it was closed in January due to heavy snowfall. As per the officials, the route opened in record time this year, in just 68 days.

As per the reports, a trial movement was conducted successfully, before the decision to reopen the road for civilian traffic was taken. The highway was thrown open for traffic at Zojila Pass, which sits at an altitude of 11,650 ft.
Zojila serves as a strategic pass that works as a vital link between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh, and is also used for operational preparedness of the armed forces. Earlier, it used to remain closed for almost six months due to heavy snowfall; however, the BRO has been making all the efforts and managing to reopen this route in much lesser time over the past few years. As a result, the route opened within a mere 68 days.

While speaking to the media, Lt Gen Chaudhary stated that reopening of the pass will likely boost the economy of the region, tourism will also open up because of it, while people of Kargil, Drass and Leh will be benefiting a lot from the opening of this route.
Revealing more about the opening of the route, the BRO DG added that the highway was kept open till January 6 this year, after which because of heavy rainfall, it had to be closed down for traffic.

He further added that earlier, people used to think the route will reopen in the month of May, which has not been the case over the past few years. He also added that next year, they will try to reopen it sooner than this.

He also added that this is the only route that connects Ladakh with the rest of the country. The Leh-Manali route is not open yet.