Shimla, Nov 24 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh government Tuesday requested the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to reopen the Rohtang Pass in Kullu district, closed to the traffic since Nov 9 snowfall, as soon as possible.

'Public Works Minister Thakur Gulab Singh Tuesday met the BRO Director-General, Lt. Gen. M.C. Badhani, in Shimla and requested him to speed up the reopening of the pass,' according to an official statement.

S.K. Doon of the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), an agency of the BRO that maintains the Manali-Leh highway that passes through Rohtang Pass, said teams have been deployed on both sides of the pass to clear the snow.

The 13,050-foot high Rohtang Pass - the gateway to tribal Lahaul and Spiti district - is under three to four feet snow since Nov 9. Hundreds of people have been stranded on both sides of the pass.

The weather at the Rohtang Pass, located 52 km from Manali, is harsh. A sudden drop in temperatures even in summer triggers wintry conditions.

Over 75 people were caught in strong icy winds Friday when they were crossing the Rohtang Pass on foot and nine died on the spot.