Manali: The Manali-Leh strategic road was closed due to floods on Thursday midnight, due to which lines of trucks were formed on both sides. As soon as the information was received, BRO 70 RCC restored the road at midnight and got the stranded trucks across. On Friday morning, the road became a swamp due to floods again. By 1 p.m., the road was restored for one-way vehicles. Although BRO is repairing the road on both sides, the traffic has become smooth.
OC Major Ravi Shankar of BRO 70 RCC said that due to the rapid melting of glaciers along with rain, a flood situation has arisen near Jingjingbar on the Manali-Leh strategic road. This accident occurred late Thursday night, but the Border Roads Organization 70 RCC soldiers started work on a war footing at midnight, risking their lives.
The organization opened a single lane for traffic on the Manali-Leh strategic road at midnight itself. Due to the rapid melting of glaciers along with rain on Thursday night, a huge amount of debris and stones from the mountain spread on the road, because of this Manali-Leh highway was closed near Jingjingbar, about 50 km from Keylong. During this, dozens of vehicles were stranded for hours.
Major Ravi Shankar, OC of the 70 RCC of the Border Roads Organization, said that as soon as the information about the flood was received late Thursday night, machines and soldiers were immediately deployed in Jingjingbar. Dozens of vehicles got stuck on both sides due to the road being closed. The officers and soldiers of the organization risked their lives and restored the road at midnight amidst the rain. All the tourists trapped in the debris were evacuated safely. Major Ravi Shankar said that the road has been opened to a single lane for the time being. The organization has deployed additional machines and soldiers to open the double lane.