Leh: The 490-km-long Leh-Manali highway connecting Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh is expected to reopen for traffic on May 18 as the Border Roads Organization (BRO) has completed snow removal from the highway. Officials gave this information on Friday. The snow has been cleared from the 16,050-foot-high Baralacha Pass and the 17,480-foot-high Tanglang La Pass as part of the BRO’s freezing point and lamp projects.

Cleaning snow from these areas is considered very challenging. Officials said snow accumulation in these areas was more than 35 feet. According to officials, due to the tireless efforts of BRO personnel, the highway will be opened to traffic only a month earlier than last year.