Manali: High altitude Rohtang Pass connecting Kullu valley with Lahaul was thrown open to traffic after it had remained snowbound for over four months.
The road over the 3978 meter high Rohtang Pass has been cleared of snow and is now open for traffic, Col Yogesh Nair, commander of 38 BRTF, the agency engaged for opening the road declared before media persons here on Friday.
He said that over 300 men and 25 snow clearing machinery took 32 days to clear the road over the pass off snow.
With it pass still receiving snowfall, Nair cautioned about dangers of avalanches and landslides on the road. We have requested the local administration to give 10 more days for proper maintenance of this road, said Nair.
With the road providing an alternate and vital connectivity with Leh in Ladakh, the army commander said that snow clearing was in full swing atop Baralacha Pass and the road to Leh would be restored in 2 weeks.
To stabilize a sliding zone at Rani Nallah near Rohtang Pass which witnessed day long traffic jams last year, the army road engineers intend to deploy modular Gabbions, said Nair.
Faced with regulating huge tourist traffic that heads for Rohtang Top, Kullu Deputy Commissioner BM Nanta said the army’s border roads organization had proposed that the road be closed between Marhi and Rohtang from 6 a.m. till noon for carrying out vital maintenance regularly.
Should the local tourism operators agree, the decision to restrict vehicular traffic between Marhi-Rohtang till 12 noon can be implemented, said Nanta.
Article and photo by Sanjay Dutta
Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice.
He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express.
With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology.
Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.
Rohtang is finally opened for vehicular traffic to L&S and further to Ladhak. A happy moment to inhabitants as well to tourists visiting Manali. It is my earnest request that traffic on this road be regulated as one way and restriction to tourists be imposed to visit the place to save environment.and congestion at this place. Ceaniness at the place too need be made order of the day and be strictly followed otherwise all glimpses of nature will be lost in one or other day to come.