Road status Srinagar Leh 2019 from now is closed. As in previous years, this will continue to be a dedicated post to update Srinagar’s status for the Leh road and its conditions in 2019. Along with this blog post, I will also be running a topic in the Srinagar community forum for road status. from Leh 2019 that I recommend you follow to receive the last word on the opening of the highway.

  • State of Srinagar to Leh Highway 2019: OPEN
  • State of Srinagar Sonamarg road: OPEN
  • Leh to Kargil Road: OPEN
  • Kargil to Padum Road: OPEN

Update: June 17th

If you plan to go from Srinagar to Leh, remember that from Sonamarg to Zojila top is a huge traffic jam. The same is the situation if you were coming from Leh’s side. Below is an update on the times in Zojila.

Estrada Srinagar – Sonamarg – Gumari: The movement of vehicles must be allowed in both directions from Kargil towards Srinagar and vice versa.

LMVs from 0500 hrs. at 07:00 am and HMVs from 07:00 to 1000 hours will be allowed from Minimarg towards Srinagar

LMVs from 1000 hours. 1200 hours. And HMVs from 1200 hours. 1500 hours. from Sonamarg towards Kargil

Update: April 28

After a long wait, Srinagar Leh Highway was declared open to civilian traffic today. The road was opened by Lieutenant General GOC 15 Corps J S Dhillon in an inaugural function held today at the zero point of Zojila, signaling a convoy. The road was closed in December last year and, due to the accumulation of heavy snow and avalanches of snow, the reopening of the road delayed almost a month this year.

This will mark the official start of the tourist season in Ladakh this year. Many people were anxiously waiting for the road to open. Last year, the highway opened in the first week of March, but this year, due to heavy snow on the road, the opening has been delayed.

That said, I strongly advise you not to travel on the road for at least the next 2 to 3 weeks. Note that the highway was declared open on Friday, but due to avalanches in 10 or 12 different places, BRO had to close it again. Although army convoys and locals could pass through Zojila today, it is still not safe for tourists. There is also a great chance that the road will be closed again for a few days for restoration work.

For recent updates on the opening of the road, follow the Srinagar forum thread to Leh Road Status 2019

How to plan a road trip in Srinagar Leh

If you are considering a trip to Ladakh next year, request that you read How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh – Complete Travel Guide. In this article, I covered in detail almost every aspect of the trip to Ladakh. By reading this, you will have information about the things you should take; clothes you must bring; planning your itinerary; things you should see and where you can stay. Some of the other things you should know and cover in the article above are about preparing your vehicle for the trip; how to deal with acute mountain sickness in Ladakh; and what to keep in mind when traveling with children and the elderly.

Some articles that will provide information about the Srinagar Leh highway are listed below. Scroll through these posts and get ready for the trip while waiting for the road to open.

  • Is Srinagar Leh Highway Safe for Tourists?
  • Srinagar – Leh directions
  • Why you should travel to Ladakh via Srinagar Leh Highway
  • How to Travel from Srinagar to Leh
  • Best time to travel from Srinagar to Leh by road
  • How to rent a motorcycle in Srinagar
  • Bus service from Srinagar to Leh
  • Weather Srinagar to Leh
  • Guesthouses and Hotels in Srinagar Leh Highway
  • ATMs, mechanics and gas pumps on the Srinagar Leh road
  • Tourist attractions on the Srinagar Leh road

Update: April 20

Two ambulances from Kargil passed through Zojila this morning and arrived in Sonamarg safely. The pass has been cleared of snow and an assessment is currently being made of when to declare civilian traffic. As work is progressing, the road is expected to be declared open by April 25 or by May 1.

The road from Kargil to Padum (Zanskar) was also declared open for vehicle traffic today. However, only light vehicles are being allowed from now on and it will take a few days for heavy motor vehicles to be allowed. There is still snow on the Pensi La crossing and road expansion and restoration work is still underway.

Srinagar Leh Highway Status 2019 – Update: Update: April 18

The road from Srinagar to Sonamarg was declared open for LMVs. For now, traffic on the Gagangeer-Sonamarg section is only allowed from 11 am to 3 pm. BRO anticipates the reopening of the Sonamarg – Leh stretch until May 1 of the week. The snow removal work was completed from the side of Sonamarg and Drass to the zero point (Zojila). The work now continues to expand the road that is due to be completed next week. Thereafter, road conditions will be assessed before making a decision on when to allow traffic on the road.

However, the recent and sudden change in the climate may delay the expansion work and take the opening date further to May. Zojila has already experienced a new period of snow and more is expected until April 20. For now, do not plan to travel on the stretch before May 10. Even if the road was opened before that, it will be very risky to travel and can be closed at any time.

Another new development would be in the form of the government’s decision to stop the movement of civilian traffic on the Jammu Srinagar highway every Wednesday and Sunday, from 4 am to 5 pm. This decision was made after the recent Pulwama attack. Until May 31, two days a week will be reserved for military trains and the remaining five days will be for civilian traffic. It will remain so after May 31 is not yet clear. If you plan to travel from Jammu to Srinagar by road in the near future, plan your itinerary accordingly.

Srinagar Leh Highway Status 2019 – Update: Update: April 7

The road from Srinagar to Sonamarg has been cleared of snow, but it is not yet open to tourists. Official sources say there are seizures of snow avalanches en route due to the large accumulation of snow, due to which traffic movement is not yet allowed beyond Gagangir. Only after a proper assessment of the road conditions will tourists be able to visit Sonamarg. As of now, erected barricades have been erected near Gagangir to prevent any movement of traffic on the road.

State of the Srinagar Leh Highway 2019 – Update: March 24

According to officials (BRO), the snow removal operation on the 12-kilometer road from Gagangeer to Sonamarg was completed on Sunday. Work started on March 1 of the week and it took BRO 3 weeks to reach Sonamarg because of heavy snow accumulation this year. However, traffic has not yet been allowed, as there are still seizures of snow avalanches on the way. The whole area has witnessed more snow this year compared to previous years, and an adequate assessment of road conditions will be made in the next week before any traffic movement is allowed. Until then, Sonamarg will remain closed to tourists and locals.

BRO will now start working to clear snow from Zojila Top. Considering it took three weeks to travel the 12 kilometers between Gagangeer and Sonamarg, it would probably be late April or early May before the road through Zojila is considered safe for travel by tourists.

Road Status Srinagar Leh 2019 – Update: March 10

Snow clearing work on the Srinagar Leh highway was officially started last week. BRO is now working to clear snow for the first time on the 12 km long Gagangeer Sonamarg and expects it to be completed by the end of March. After reaching Sonamarg, work will continue towards the Zojila pass to release its 30 kilometers of snow. The amount of snow this year is much higher compared to previous years. About 6 to 7 feet of snow are accumulated on the ground between Gagangeer and Sonamarg.

Srinagar Leh Highway Status 2019 – Update: March 3

Last year, at that time, the snow clearing operation on the Srinagar Leh road was in full swing and, on the 15th, the entire stretch was declared open to civilian traffic. Also on the Manali Leh route, the cleaning operation started in early March and, in the first week of April, the road was open to traffic.

This year’s situation, however, is totally different. It continues to snow heavily throughout the Himalayas and more snow is expected. The opening of all roads and passes this year will definitely be postponed. As of now, in terms of the Srinagar Leh route, I did not expect it to be open before the end of April. The Rohtang Pass is unlikely to open in mid-May and on the Manali Leh highway in early June. However, this is only an estimate of the moment and can be changed as time progresses.

Even the opening of Sonamarg this year will not be until the beginning of April. The snow clearing operation on this stretch has not yet begun, as the region is still experiencing snowfall.

State of the Srinagar Leh Highway 2019 – Update: February 18th

The recent explosion that killed 42 CRPF men has the entire valley and the country at risk at the moment. How it will affect the opening of the road and the tourist season is something that only time will tell. A curfew has been imposed in several places. If you plan to visit Kashmir soon, I strongly recommend that you leave your plans on hold for a while; and wait for the tension to decrease.

State of the Srinagar Leh Highway 2019 – Update: February 11

This year’s snowfall has been much greater than the last ones. The snowstorm in early February, followed by relentless rains, made matters worse. More snow is expected next week and throughout February. There are already about 1 to 2 meters of snow in various places in Kashmir and Ladakh. Publishing a recent photo of the Srinagar Leh highway below on Fotula Top; shared by a friend of mine traveled from Leh to Kargil last week.

State of Srinagar Leh Highway 2019 – Update: February 4

The road is now open only as far as Gagangir. This year’s snowfall was much more than expected; and the snowfall still continues. Even Sonamarg was declared closed to tourists several weeks earlier than usual. The way the weather is now, don’t expect Srinagar Leh Road to reopen before the beginning of May. Even Sonamarg is now expected to remain closed until April.

Road Status Srinagar Leh 2019 – Update: December 9

Sharing a recent photo of the road near Sonamarg that I recently received from a friend.

Srinagar to Leh Opening date 2019

The opening of the road depends entirely on the weather and how quickly the BRO is able to clear snow after the winter is over. Historically, mid-April is a safe time to assume the opening date of the Srinagar Leh Highway. There have been cases where it was opened earlier.

2018 is a great example when the whole stretch was free of snow; and open to traffic already in March. But as a tourist, I will not recommend planning a road trip before the end of April or early May. Even if the road was declared open before then, it will be in very bad shape. Allowing a few weeks after the opening will give BRO time to stabilize the road. Remember that, in the first days of opening, it is common to have a temporary closure that can sometimes last for a few days, as the BRO continues the repair work on the road.

Road status of Srinagar Leh 2019

An official announcement is yet to be made; but the Srinagar Leh highway has remained closed for the past 4 days after heavy snowfall in Sonamarg, Zoji La and Drass. It is highly unlikely that the road will now open for vehicle movement; but even if it does, it’s very risky to be traveling on it right now. The chances of time closing in any minute and the road is blocked are high at the moment. The authorities can open the road for a few more days to the locals or not; but as a tourist, you can safely assume that the road is currently off limits. There are only a few days to be declared officially closed.