SHIMLA, April 30: The Sach Pass at 14,500 feet connecting Chamba with the remote Pangi Valley in Himachal Pradesh is set to reopen by May 20 if the weather remains clear, officials said on Thursday.
Snow clearance is pending on a 7 km stretch on the Chamba-Killar route, and the PWD is carrying out operations to clear it from both the Pangi and Chamba sides, they said.
“The work is progressing on a war footing. The department is striving to reopen the Sach Pass for vehicular traffic by May 20,” PWD executive engineer Ravi Sharma said.
The Sach Pass is closed for vehicular movement during the winter months due to heavy snowfall in the area, cutting off the Pangi Valley from the district headquarters, Chamba.
It forces the residents of Pangi to undertake a long and arduous journey, covering 750 km via Jammu and Kullu to reach the district headquarters.
When the route is open, the distance between Pangi and Chamba gets reduced to 172 km.
The crucial route typically remains open from June to October. (PTI)
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