Srinagar: The national highway, linking the Ladakh region with the Kashmir valley is likely to reopen next week as snow clearance operation upto Zero-Point from Drass has been completed.
Meanwhile, due to closure of the highway for the past five months, people in Leh and Kargil besides other parts of the region are facing acute shortage of essentials, particularly fresh vegetables.
We are going to inspect the road condition and snow clearance operation from Sonmarg side tomorrow, officials told UNI this morning.
The snow clearance operation was started in the month of March but due to fresh snowfall last month, the operation was hampered , they said adding it is now just a matter of one or two kms and the road will be put through for traffic subject there is no snowfall and avalanches.
Major parts of the 62-km-long track between Sonmarg-Zojilla-Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, received more than ten feet of snow during this winter. There was fresh snowfall at Zojila, Meenmarg and Zero-Point last week, they said.
Meanwhile, senior civil and police officials inspected road from Drass side and expressed satisfaction over the snow clearance operation.
A senior police officer awarded Rs 5 lakh to labourers engaged in snow clearance operation. The labourers have done a great job and road from Drass to Zero-point Gumri was through, he said adding reopening of the highway will be a great relief for the people of Ladakh region who are facing shortage of essentials, particularly fresh vegetables.
He said large number of tourists are arriving Leh by air daily. However, due to shortage of fresh vegetables the hosts are feeling handicapped, he said.
The officer said decision to resume traffic on the highway will depend on the completion of snow clearance operation from Sonmarg side.
The highway between Sonmarg-Zojila-Drass was closed due to heavy snowfall and slippery road condition. However, from Drass-Kargil to Leh highway was through though with some disruption in between due to snowfall.
The authorities are storing all essentials, particularly rice, atta, sugar, kerosene oil, diesel, petrol, LPG and other items in cut off areas of the region besides at district headquarters of Leh and Kargil for six months. However, people are facing shortage of fresh vegetables, eggs, meat and other daily use items.
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