Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 24: The 86-km long Bandipora-Gurez road was today thrown open to vehicular traffic after remaining cut off due to heavy snow fall at Razdhan Pass.
The road was thrown open to traffic by Maj Gen, C P Ponnappa, GOC, 28 Infantry Division in presence of Chief Engineer Project Beacon and Deputy Commissioner Bandipora.
Maj Gen Ponnapa said that the highway remained open for an extended period last season as the efforts of the BRO personnel came handy.
He said that over 32000 population of the Gurez gets effected during winters as the entire area remains cut off from the rest of the country. “This season the work of snow clearance commenced much earlier, resulting in the early opening of the Highway for vehicular traffic,” he said
While terming it as a life line to the people of the Gurez Valley, GOC said that the movement of the vehicles on Razdhan Pass is no less a gift from Border Roads Organisation to the people of Gurez and afforts are on to make the road all weather.
He congratulated the jawans of Project Beacon and said the snow clearance amid adverse circumstances always test the nerves of the BRO men as the threat of the avalanches and the snow storms always loom large in the areas while working at this high altitude.
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