Jammu, Apr 12: The Government has asked the BEACON authorities to accelerate the restoration work along 420 Kms long Srinagar- Kargil -Leh National Highway, to ensure that the vital road was opened for the people at the earliest.
 The Minister for Transport Qamar Ali Akhoon sought the present status of the road while chairing a high level meeting of civil administration and BEACON Authorities, here today.
 The meeting was attended by Chief Executive Councilor (CEC) and Chairman Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh Rigzin Spalbar, Chairman/CEC, Kargil Kachoo Ahmad Ali Khan, MLC, Leh, Narboo Gialchan, MLC Kargil Aga Syed Ahmad Razvi, Councilor Leh Muhammad Kazim, Commissioner/Secretary Transport Pradeep Gupta, Transport Commissioner, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo, IGP, Traffic H.K.Lohia, Special Secretary LAD Tsering Murap and OC 122 RCCBEACON. Parven Kumar.
 The meeting discussed measures to   explore the possibility for opening of this important highway as early as possible which was closed in December last year due to heavy snowfall at Zojila pass and adjacent areas.
 The Minister stressed upon the BEACON Authorities to press more men and machinery into service so that the only link road to Kargil and Leh was opened as early as possible. He asked the regulating agencies to repeat the normal schedule  for the movement of traffic this year as well   adding that all the Kargil and Leh bound vehicles has to cross the weigh bridge installed at Sonamerg.
 Akhoon instructed the local civil administration and security agencies to ensure that the people of the area who are travelling on foot with head load, including vegetables, medicines and the pedestrians may not face any inconvenience till the road was officially opened for vehicular traffic.
 Akhoon said that at present the highway was the only road link for the people of Kargil and Leh which remains closed for major part of the year due to inclement weather and heavy snow fall on higher reaches from Sonamerg to Drass.
 The Minister said that Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has already approved the construction of Zojila tunnel in Kashmir Valley to provide all season link to the twin districts of Kargil and Leh with other parts of the country. He said that foundation stone of first phase 6 Kmt tunnel with a tentative cost of 200 crore per km from Gagangir to Sonamerg is scheduled to be laid in August this year.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST