Manali, Sep 4 - The 475-km National Highway-21 that connects Manali in Himachal Pradesh and Leh in Jammu and Kashmir was reopened for light vehicles Friday, an official said. The highway was closed Thursday after snowfall.

'The Manali-Leh highway reopened for light vehicles this (Friday) afternoon after snowfall on various stretches of the highway,' S.K. Doon, Commander of General Reserve Engineering Force's (GREF) 38 Task Force, told IANS.

He said the heavy vehicles would be allowed to ply on the highway soon.

Rohtang Pass (13,050 feet) and the Baralacha Pass (16,020 ft), located on the Manali-Leh highway, experienced 6-7 inches and one foot snowfall, respectively, Thursday.

Lahaul and Spiti Deputy Commissioner C. Paul Rasu said that about 282 passengers, including 60 foreigners, who were stranded near the Baralacha Pass due to the untimely snowfall, have been rescued.

'Likewise the Kunzum Pass has also been cleared for traffic between Kaza to Keylong,' he added.

The Manali-Leh highway plays an important role in the movement of the armed forces to the forward areas in Ladakh.