BRO speeds up works on the Manali-Leh highway

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has fast-tracked the road construction and bridge-building work by deploying the best machinery at all crucial points on the Manali-Leh highway, the main link for military supplies to the border areas. It has also expedited work to complete major bridges in places like Rohtang, Koksar, Stingri, Zingzingbar, Keling Sarai, Sarchu, Pang and Rumtse. It is in action mode to respond to any situation, including road blockades due to landslides. All the road maintenance work is being executed at war footing. BRO is replacing the old bailey bridges with the newer ones and many new bridges have also come up, the remaining bridges are expected to be ready in a year or two. Over 300m long Darcha bridge, the longest bridge on Manali-Leh highway, and the second-longest after the Col Chewang Rinchen Setu on Shyok river on Daulat Beg Oldi road in Ladakh, is also being readied for the traffic this year. Nearly 75% of the Manali-Leh highway has been two-lane, except for some stretches, and the widening of the road is continuing. Widening and blacktopping of the entire length of the highway is to be completed by next year. Along with the final work in the tunnel, BRO is building the Palchan-Rohtang-Koksar stretch, a double-lane road. Meanwhile, the Lahaul-Spiti administration has also asked BRO to station its machinery at the landslide-prone areas to facilitate interruption-free traffic movement in monsoon. Kullu and Mandi administration have directed PWD and NHAI to make sure that the traffic is not interrupted due to landslides as Mandi-Kullu-Manali and Manali-Leh highway is currently busy with military convoys.