Srinagar, Mar 20 (IANS): After 30 days of closure due to heavy snowfall and avalanches, the Srinagar-Leh highway was made traffic-worthy on Wednesday, officials said.

The over 400-km long highway passes through the Zojila Pass which witnesses very heavy snowfall during the winter.

In a record time of 30 days, working at grave risk to their lives, men and machinery of the Border Roads Organisation have made the road traffic-worthy.

However, no vehicle was allowed to move on the highway on Wednesday as vehicles from both Ladakh and the Kashmir Valley side need special permission to undertake the journey.

Engineers maintaining the road have advised that no vehicle without the 4X4 facility and anti-skid tyre chains should move on the highway.

For this purpose, the Traffic Department will have to issue special permissions to vehicles after ensuring their roadworthiness under such challenging road conditions. The most treacherous part of the highway is the 17-km long Zojila Pass stretch which remains under heavy snowfall and constant threat of avalanches.

The Zojila Tunnel, being presently built to bypass the 17-km-long stretch, will ensure all-weather connectivity between the Ladakh region and the rest of the country.