40 soldiers, 20 civilians rescued by BRO from deep snow in J&K

In a high-altitude rescue and road restoration operation at the 10,500 ft Chatergala Pass in the Doda district of J&K, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has rescued 40 soldiers of the Army and 20 civilians who were trapped in deep snow, officials said on Tuesday.

The BRO said that 38 kms road at Chatargala Pass in Bhaderwah was buried under 5–6 ft of snow that was cleared in a 40-hour operation, and 40 troops of the 4 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), along with their weapons and stores, including 20 stranded civilians, were rescued.

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The Bhaderwah – Chatergala axis was disrupted due to heavy snowfall on 23 January. The 118 Road Construction Company (RCC) of the 35 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) commenced snow-clearance operation in the morning on 24 January and continued for nearly 40 hours. The route was opened by evening on 25 January, enabling the safe evacuation of 20 stranded civilians and 40 troops of 4 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) along with weapons and stores.

The rescue mission was completed by 2:30 AM on 26 January with zero casualties, underscoring the professionalism and dedication of BRO personnel operating in challenging high-altitude terrain and extreme weather conditions. The operation was executed in close coordination with the Indian Army, ensuring swift relief and the restoration of critical communication links in the region, a defence spokesman added.