A new life at “The Plain of Corpses”, road partially open

Several papers carry the story today of a Nepali couple who got a ride from Manali , started to walk across … and had to stop at the Rothang La when the woman went in to labor. Locals helped Vishnu Maya in delivering her baby , and the family later found a temporary refuge in the Koksar rescue post.

According to the same news stories the pas was opened for light traffic hours later. BRO officials quoted in a PTI story talks of the road being “open for inspection ” , and a full opening within ten days.

The official road status marker on the web will continue to show “closed” until the road is fit for bus traffic, as usual.

Manali-Leh : Rothang cleared

The Tribune reports that the first first supplies and skor-jangspas have been sent in , and that the road should be fully open by the end of next week :

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Dharamsala, May 3
Rohtang Pass will be cleared of snow by tomorrow evening. However, the normal traffic will be allowed by Thursday next week.

Naresh Mittal, superintendent engineer of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), who is in charge of the 38-BRTF at Manali, said the Keylong-Leh road had already been cleared of snow and access to the landlocked snowbound Lahaul valley from Leh had been permitted for the tourists.

However, only a small portion remained to be cut through major glaciers on way to Rohtang Pass from Manali. He said the repair work was going on the high-altitude road and emergency supply of gas, food grains and other essential commodities would be allowed from Saturday morning.”

“Plain of corpses” once more open (2005)

Manali-Leh road opened
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Rohtang, June 4
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) today threw open the 465-km Manali-Leh highway for one-way movement for the civic and army traffic, linking the land-locked Lahaul valley to rest of the country after a gap of around six months.

The opening of the Rohtang pass has come as a big relief for the people of Lahaul valley. Onions and tomatoes which were sold at Rs 40 and Rs 70 per kg till yesterday now are available for Rs 15 and Rs 20, respectively, said Mr Ajey Kumar, a resident of Keylong. “The essential commodities were also in short supply as the BRO had declared May 29 as the deadline. The prices of other items have also come down as the supplies have been resumed now,” he informed.

The Commander, BRO, Mr KB Raju, who visited the spot here, said the tourist traffic going to Rohtang pass would not be allowed as it would take at least a week to make access to the parking places at the top. “But the civilians and tourists who wish to go to Keylong and Leh can go as the road is allowed for one- way traffic. As many as 25 civil and 67 Army vehicles crossed the pass yesterday,” he informed.

Raju said that the tourist traffic is being allowed till Marhi, 17 km short of Rohtang pass and 35 kms from Manali.

Snow-clearing on the Manali-Serchu highway costs around Rs 2 crore every year, informed Mr Raju. “This time, we cleared snow up to 60-70 ft here, much less than what we faced last year. We faced blizzards and avalanches, but the operation went on without a mishap. We have six snow cutters and dozers to clear the snow, he said.

Rothang La opened

Source : IANS