The 434-km strategic Srinagar-Leh National Highway, connecting the Kashmir Valley with the Ladakh region, was thrown open for traffic on Sunday after being closed for over four months due to heavy snowfall.
Lt. Gen. K. J. S. Dhillon, the General Officer Commanding of 15 Corps, along with other officials, reopened the highway at a ceremony at Zero-Point here.
The strategic road was closed for traffic in mid-December last year due to heavy accumulation of snow from Gagangir in Ganderbal district to Drass in Kargil district.
Zojila Pass, at 11,516 feet above sea level, connects the picturesque Kashmir Valley with the cold Indus valley desert through the 434-km long Srinagar-Leh road. Border Road Organisation was involved in the snow clearance operation.
Officials said the snow clearance operation was undertaken by the Border Road Organisation under Project Beacon from Gagangir to Zero Point (33 km from 75 km marker to 108 km). Under Project Vijayak, the road was cleared from Drass to Zero Point (39km from 108 km marker to 147 km), officials said.
Project Beacon was completed on April 14, a day before Project Vijayak. Both operations began on March 5.
The clearance operations were fraught with a number of dangers like avalanche threats, inclement weather and excessive snow accumulation of 30-40 feet at most places.
Adding to the difficulties, there was constant danger of still water freezing due to the low temperatures, they said.
