Rohtang Pass to be operational till Nov 15

MANALI - The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Monday said it would operate the majestic Rohtang Pass, which connects this Himachal Pradesh town with Leh in Jammu and Kashmir, for two weeks more.

“On the demand of the state (Himachal Pradesh) government, we have decided to operate the Rohtang Pass till Nov 15,” a BRO spokesperson here told IANS.

The BRO earlier announced that it would not operate the entire 475-km Manali-Leh National Highway-21 that passes through Rohtang Pass after Oct 31 due to possible snowfall.

The BRO starts withdrawing its men and machinery deployed at various locations along the highway with the onset of snowfall and the Rohtang Pass at 13,050 feet is closed for over six months in a year.

The BRO has advised against people travelling on the highway after Nov 15 as it will not be in a position to operate it smoothly after that.

The Rohtang Pass Oct 22 experienced heavy snow that the BRO cleared.

The weather at the Rohtang Pass, the gateway to the Lahaul Valley, is harsh. A sudden drop in the temperature, even in summer, can trigger winter-like conditions.