The 4,500-metre mountain pass opened to light motor vehicles on Monday, restoring road connectivity and bringing relief to residents of the isolated valley.
The route connecting Chamba with the remote Pangi Valley reopened after weeks of intensive snow-clearance operations carried out by PWD authorities from both the Pangi and Churah divisions cutting through glaciers and snow walls under extremely challenging conditions.
Due to the seasonal closure of Sach Pass during winter months, residents of Pangi are forced to undertake a gruelling 600-km journey via Jammu and Kashmir to reach Chamba. The reopening of the pass will reduce the travel distance to just 170 kilometres, significantly easing connectivity and travel time.
With the route now open, the local tourism will also get a boost, as the Pass is known for its scenic beauty and challenging terrain, attracting adventure enthusiasts from across the region.
Superintending Engineer, PWD, Dalhousie Circle Jeet Singh Thakur said the road had been reopened for LMVs after continuous efforts by field staff and machine operators despite erratic weather, repeated snowfall and frequent avalanches along the route.
“The route has been opened almost a month in advance. Normally, the route would open in June and at the earliest in May end,” Thakur said.
The pass is officially closed for vehicles on October 15 every year.
“This year the road restoration task was even more challenging. We faced multiple hurdles during the restoration work due to unseasonal snowfall and recurring avalanches at several vulnerable points. However, our teams worked tirelessly in difficult terrain to ensure that connectivity to Pangi Valley could be restored before the scheduled deadline,” Sharma said.
Executive Engineer, Pangi, Ravi Kumar Sharma said the reopening of the route will bring major relief to residents of the remote Pangi valley, who depend heavily on the road for essential services, transportation and connectivity with the rest of the district.
Cradled between the Pir Panjal and Zanskar ranges of the Himalayas, the remote Pangi valley is famed for its rugged mountains, stunning landscapes and extreme weather conditions. Cut off by heavy snowfall for months every year, the high-altitude tribal valley remains among the most inaccessible regions of Himachal Pradesh. Despite its breathtaking beauty and rich cultural heritage, Pangi continues to grapple with poor connectivity and harsh living conditions driven by its challenging terrain and long winters.
Authorities have advised commuters to travel cautiously as snow walls still exist along several stretches and the possibility of shooting stones and slippery conditions cannot be ruled out due to melting snow.
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