Manali – Leh Road Status (2020-21): CLOSED

Manali – Leh Road Status (2020-21): CLOSED

Excerpt:

23 November: Heavy snowfall at Atal tunnel, Lahaul valley Baralacha pass, Sarchu and areas near Taglangla pass have blocked the Manali-Leh highway. Snowfall is expected to continue for the next three days.

26 November: Very heavy snowfall in four days has blocked the Manali-Leh highway.

01 December: Leh DC Sachin Kumar Vaishya said Leh-Manali highway is closed for vehicular movement from Upshi to Sarchu.

02 December: BRO said it will not clear snow from Manali-Leh highway. The highway will now open next year after Arpil.

Update on December 02, 2020

Manali-Leh highway closed for the season

Strategically important 428km long Manali-Leh highway has been closed for the season as Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will not clear snow between Himachal’s Darcha and Ladakh’s Upshi until next year.

This highway used to be officially closed on October 15 every year and BRO jawans used to retreat from the high altitude areas. This year BRO kept the highway opened till November end to facilitate the movement of the military convoy. It cleared snow from the highway three times in October and November this year. The highway was again blocked following heavy snowfall from November 23 to 26. As there is no need to restore traffic on the highway, BRO will not clear snow.

“We shall keep Manali-Keylong-Darcha section open. Baralacha has already received very heavy snow. The pass is officially closed now. The highway to Leh beyond Darcha shall remain closed until snow clearance operation restarts after end of winter season next year,” a BRO official told a newspaper.

The officials said keeping Manali-Leh highway open throughout winter season is very challenging and also dangerous. The area between Darcha and Sarchu sometimes remains under 30 to 50ft thick snow and ice. The temperature in the area has dropped up to minus 20 degrees C. The area along with the highway witness sudden snowfall without warning. Nearly 200km stretch from Patseo to Upshi has no habitation, mobile signal, or anybody to help. Vehicular movement will be very dangerous even for heavy 4X4 vehicles with snow-chains.

Leh administration has also advised people not to go towards Sarchu. The administration has advised the general public, tourists, and transporters not to go beyond Upshi and said the highway is closed till further order.

Leh deputy commissioner Sachin Kumar Vaishya said, “The Leh-Manali highway is closed between Upshi and Sarchu due to inclement weather conditions, intermittent snowfall, extreme cold condition and slippery surface. The road, which was closed on November 26, will continue to remain closed for all kinds of vehicular traffic till further order,” he said.

Please note:

Distance between Manali and Leh is 474 KM via Rohtang pass.

Distance between Manali and Leh via Atal tunnel is 428 KM.

Manali-Leh highway is blocked with snow after winter snowfall every year from November to May.

Tourists can visit Ladakh in winters by plane.

On this page, we shall keep tourists updated about the Manali Leh highway status for the year 2020-21. This page will be updated regularly.

—Stay tuned to get fresh updates—

Disclaimer: The date of opening of Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh highway is not determined by anybody as it totally depends on weather conditions. Opening of these highways totally depend on intensity of snowfall in winter months, weather during clearing of snow, more snowfall in April and May months, temperature and many other aspects. Discover Leh Ladakh does not guarantee the accuracy of date of opening of the highway. This is just an estimation made as per inputs from BRO and sight visit by our own team members. Manali Leh Highway Status post is just an endeavour to help the tourists.

Source:- DiscoverLehLadakh