Leh: Snow clearance operations on the Leh-Manali highway have reached Lachulung La, with the Border Roads Organisation’s Project Himank opening the high-altitude pass as part of ongoing efforts to restore connectivity along National Highway-03.
The development was confirmed in an official communication, which stated that the clearance work, undertaken by 111 Road Construction Company under 753 Border Roads Task Force, has enabled access up to Lachulung La at an altitude of 16,616 feet. The progress follows earlier clearance at Tanglang La, as teams continue to move southwards along the highway.
Officials said the road stretch up to Lachulung La has been cleared and maintained to a double-lane configuration, a step aimed at facilitating safer and more efficient movement once traffic is permitted on the route.
The operations have been carried out under high-altitude conditions marked by low temperatures, strong winds, heavy snow accumulation, and avalanche-prone zones. Despite these constraints, personnel and machinery have been deployed continuously to ensure progress along the strategic highway.
With Lachulung La now cleared, the focus of the snow clearance teams has shifted towards Nakee La and the Gata Loops section, which includes a series of 22 hairpin bends. These stretches remain to be opened before full connectivity on NH-03 can be restored.
Officials indicated that work is progressing in phases, with multiple teams engaged across different segments to maintain operational pace. The highway, which remains closed during winter months due to heavy snowfall, is reopened each year following extensive clearance operations. he Leh-Manali axis serves as a crucial route for the movement of supplies and personnel, and its reopening is closely monitored by both civil and defence authorities.
Further progress, officials noted, will depend on weather conditions and terrain stability, particularly in vulnerable stretches prone to avalanches, as clearance operations continue in the high-altitude region.
