BRO | NH33 BRO opens strategic Leh-Manali Highway in record time of 138 days
New Delhi: The Border Roads Organization (BRO) on Saturday opened the strategically important Leh-Manali Highway (NH 3) in a record time of 138 days, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
Leh-Manali Highway is a 427 km long strategic highway connecting Ladakh to the rest of India via Manali, having strategic importance for the movement of the armed forces and their supplies to forward areas in Ladakh, as well as connecting the people of Ladakh to India.
On 25 March 2023, @BROindia successfully opened the vital Manali Leh Axis in record 138 days. Ms Stanzin Deachen, a two year old girl child from Sarchu village did the honour and opened this strategic road which also serves as a lifeline for the people of Ladakh.(1/3) pic.twitter.com/vSoU9vCmer
— ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (@BROindia) March 26, 2023
The highway is an alternate route to the 422 km long Srinagar-Kargil-Leh Highway (NH-1D) which was opened by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in 16 March 2023.
BRO also opened the mighty Shinkula Pass located at 16,580 ft in Nimmu-Padum-Darch road in a record time of 55 days, on 23 March 2023, the ministry said.
#CreatingHistory@BROindia Project Yojak has opened the formidable Shinkula Pass (16,447 ft) on Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road in a record 55 Day. With third axis to reach Ladakh via road will be available. History has been created by BRO men as all three routes leading to(1/2) pic.twitter.com/BIiYqDAIEE
— ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (@BROindia) March 24, 2023
The Leh-Manali highway generally remains closed from November end with the onset of winter till it is opened in March.
The entire 427 km road has been cleared of snow by BRO frontline Project Himank in Ladakh and Project Deepak in Himachal Pradesh.
The Border Roads Organization @BROindia has opened strategically important Leh-Manali Highway (NH 3) on March 25, 20023 in record time of 138 days https://t.co/7Z2znR9T6z pic.twitter.com/CNjhbbD2YT
— PRO Shillong, Ministry of Defence (@proshillong) March 25, 2023
These challenging operations commenced from two extremities of the road by two different teams comprising skilled manpower and state-of-the-art machines, the statement said.
As the two snow clearance teams converge at a common point in Sarchu, Himachal Pradesh, a ‘Golden Handshake’ ceremony was organized there to declare the highway open, it added.
