Ladakh Expert

Border Road Organization (BRO) has begun snow clearing operations on the crucial Srinagar – Leh Highway, which is expected to be thrown open to vehicles by mid-April 2015.

The only stumbling block on the Srinagar – Leh Highway is the Zoji La pass, which remains buried under 20-30ft of snow for 5 months each year and requires joint effort of BRO’s Project Beacon and Vijayak to be thrown open each summer.

In a statement issued yesterday by Project Beacon’s Chief Engineer, Brig A. K. Das, “The snow clearance work has been started and will be completed by mid-April next month subject to good weather, toughest work for snow clearance remains on the 30-km road stretch up to zero point of Zoji La from Sonamarg.”

While BRO is hoping to reopen Srinagar – Leh Highway by 15th April, bad weather can delay the opening of the highway. Furthermore, initially Srinagar – Leh Highway remains unstable and Zoji La can get closed multiple times due to avalanches and snowfall.

Traffic too is strictly regulated with vehicles from each side only being allowed to cross Zoji La for few hours each day.

We will keep posting frequent updates on the road status of Srinagar – Leh Highway and Manali – Leh Highway, so make sure to subscribe to our free email updates.

Thanks to late and heavy snowfall in upper reaches of Himachal, reopening of Manali – Leh Highway would likely be delayed this year.

Normally BRO starts removing snow from the road to Rohtang Pass and Baralacha La by Mid-March; however with western disturbances hitting Himachal and rest of North India in March, BRO has postponed its snow clearing operations till third week of March.

Even the Lahaul and Spiti Administration has been forced to delay the deployment of rescue posts on either sides of Rohtang Pass, which are deployed each year on March 15 to ensure safety and rescue of locals crossing Rohtang Pass on foot.

Once snow clearing operations begin, they are expected to take at least couple of months to cut through 40ft of snow on Rohtang and Baralacha La. So in all likelihood, Manali – Leh Highway wouldn’t reopen before third week of May this year.

We will be posting frequent updates about the status of 2015 Manali – Leh Highway on LadakhExpert.com, so make sure to subscribe to our Ladakh Email Updates to get free and up to information on Ladakh.

In a statement issued today by BEACON’s Chief Engineer, Brigadier A K Das, Srinagar – Leh Highway would be reopened by mid-April 2015.

As per Bridadier A. K. Das, “About twenty two feet snow has got accumulated on Zojila top and Sonamrg is under around twelve feet snow. The snow clearance operation in both these roads would start soon once the weather permits. All the measures would be put in place to clear the snow. We need 40 days for the operation to make the road through for traffic.”

A lot now depends on the weather in Kashmir and in particular between Sonamarg and Zoji La, in case this stretch continues to receive heavy snowfall, then route reopening can get delayed. Add to that, initially only the army vehicles will be allowed to cross Zoji La and it generally takes couple of weeks or more for Zoji La to stabilize. During this period, the pass can get closed repeatedly due to landslides and avalanches.

We will continue to post frequent updates on the 2015 road status of Srinagar – Leh Highway on LadakhExpert.com, so don’t forget to subscribe to our email updates.

Himachal Government has announced today, that they will be closing Rohtang Jot on the 15th of November, 2013.

With the official closure of Rohtang Jot, buses will stop plying between Manali and Lahaul Valley and only emergency vehicles will be allowed to cross Rohtang Jot. Though several local taxis will continue to sneak past check posts, and will keep plying till road is eventually buried under snow.

For those planning to head to Ladakh by road, you will now have to depend on Srinagar – Leh Highway, which too is expected to be closed towards the end of this month.

Manali – Leh Highway will remain closed till middle of May next year and only way to reach Ladakh in winter would be through flight to Leh.

There is no better way to experience the culture and heritage of a region, than to attend one of its religious festivals. Ladakh being primarily a Buddhist region and home to numerous monasteries and appropriately called Land of the Lamas has many such festivals to offer to visitors, throughout the year.

Here is the Ladakh Monastic Festival Calendar for 2014, so that you too can take part in festivities and get to see and enjoy the real culture and heritage of Ladakh.

Spituk Gustor: 28-29th January
Likir Dosmochey: 27-28th February
Stok guru Tseschu: 10-11th March
Matho Nagrang: 15-16th March
Saka Dawa: 13th June
Yuru Kabgyad: 24-25th June
Hemis Tseschu: 7-8th July
Shachukul Gustor: 14-15th July
Karsha Gustor: 23-24th July
Phyang Tserup: 24-25th July
Korzok Gustor: 30-31st July
Dakthok Tseschu: 6-7th August
Sani Naro Nasjal: 9-10th August
Thiksey Gustor: 9-10th November
Chemday Angchok: 20-21st November
Galdan Namchot: 16th December
Losar: 22nd December