Snow clearance on Srinagar-Kargil highway in final stage

Srinagar: The snow clearance work on the strategic Srinagar-Kargil highway is going on “war footing basis” to clear the road for vehicular traffic movement as soon as possible, officials said on Monday.

Chief Executive Councilor LAHDC Kargil, Feroz Ahmed Khan told Greater Kashmir that project ‘Vijayak’ and Beacon of the Border Roads Organisation have put all efforts to connect the highway even as the prevailing inclement weather is creating hurdles in the process.

The CEC along with the Deputy Commissioner Kargil Santosh Sukhadeve, SP Kargil Anayat Ali Choudhary and other officers of civil administration and Vijayak (BRO) visited Zojila pass on Monday to take stock of the snow clearance work on the highway.

Khan said that the road clearance agencies have cleared the road upto zero point adding that only around 1 kilometre stretch was pending, he said, will be connected by Tuesday.

He however said that the clearance work might be affected in view of a forecast of another wet spell from April 21 adding a decision to reopen the road will be taken accordingly.

Khan further said that Zojila pass being the main connectivity between Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, the reopening of the road will ease the sufferings of people particularly with regard to availability of essential commodities in the region.