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Manali-Leh Highway traffic blocked by heavy snowfall
by Rajiv Kimta
Manali/Kufri: Hundreds of vehicles continue to remain stranded on the Manali-Leh Highway after heavy snowfall forced the authorities to close the route on Wednesday. So heavy is the snowfall along the 475-km-long highway that the authorities are now being forced to airlift civilian and other supplies both for the local population and the Indian Army soldiers deployed in Kargil. The state of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed heavy snowfall over the last few days. Authorities said that although the road was closed to vehicular traffic, rescue teams are on alert to help pedestrians wanting to travel on the route. "The road has been closed due to heavy snowfall. But there are people who still pass through the highway, so we have a rescue team ready for them in case of any emergency," said Rameshwar Sharma, the sub-divisional magistrate of Manali.
The tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti have also been cutt off from
the rest of the region because of the closure of the Rohtang Pass. Meanwhile,
tourists in the hill resort of Kufri are having a gala winter time. Snow-clad
cottages and breathtaking views of a heavy mantle of snow on thickly wooden
pine forests are attracting scores of tourists to the region. "We are
enjoying very much here. We saw the snow for the first time and it's a
good experience. I am enjoying with my family," said Basant Sethi, a tourist
from Delhi. Heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh has
sent a wave of chill across India with minimum temperature almost reaching
six degrees Celsius in national capital New Delhi and northern Lucknow
city recording six degrees below normal.
-Jan 5, 2006
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