Rajdhan Pass, Apr 24 (KNS): The 86 km long Bandipora-Gurez road was today thrown open for vehicular traffic after remained cut off due to heavy snow fall at Rajdhan pass at an altitude of 11672 fts.
The road was thrown open to traffic by Maj Gen C P Ponnappa GOC 28 Infantry Division in the presence of Chief Engineer Project Beacon and Deputy Commissioner Bandipora.
Maj Gen C P Ponnapa said that the highway remained open for an extended period last season as the efforts of the BRO personals came handy. Maj General said that over 32000 population of the of Gurez get effected during winters as the entire area remains cut off from the rest of the country. This season the work on snow clearance on the Bandipora Gurez road commenced much earlier resulting in the early opening of the Highway for vehicular traffic, he added.
While terming it as a life line to the people of the Gurez Valley Maj Gen said that the movement of the vehicles on Rajdhan pass is no less a gift from Border Roads to the people of Gurez.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
While assuring the people of the frontier area he said that affords are on to make the road all weather for the people Gurez. While congratulating the jawans of Project Beacon Maj Gen C B Ponnappa said the snow clearance amid adverse circumstances always test the nerves of the BRO Personals as the threat of the avalanches and the snow storms always loom large in the areas while working at this altitude.
Earlier Col Amit Chander, Commander 32 BRTF said that the BRO personals had to face the threat of the avalanches all the time with the rise in temperature and they carried out the snow clearance operation well before the schedule date. Col Amit said that it was a great moment for us to throw the road open by connecting a huge chunk of the population of the Gurez with the mainland. (KNS)