Shimla/Manali: Tourists in Himachal Pradesh were stranded as thick layers of snow blocked state highways and link roads. Towns like Kinnaur, Manali and Narkanda have received about 90 to 120 centimetres of snowfall in the past 48 hours. In Shimla, tourists were seen standing on the roads, while traffic was paralysed and snow-clearing machines were clearing up the blocked roads. "I am in touch with all the officials, and we have snow-clearing machines at all the places, and I hope that the snow will be cleared soon and roads will be opened for traffic," said Narender Bragta, the state's Horticulture Minister. Similar scenes were witnessed in Manali where cars struggled to move through two and half feet thick layer of snow. Electricity and road connectivity has been badly affected and the locals preferred to not to venture out in the snow. Snowfall has covered most of the higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Shimla along with Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh.
In Dharamsala, a fresh spell of snowfall spread a wave of cheer among not just tourists, presently visiting the State, but also hoteliers. Hoteliers here
expect an encouraging turnout of tourists to experience the snowfall over the
next couple of weeks. "Dharamsala has recently experienced heavy snowfall which
will turn out to be a fortune spinner for people engaged in business like tourism,
hotelier, travel agents, drivers and taxi operators. They are very elated with
the coming of snowfall. Now they are hoping for more tourists and a rise in tourism
due to this snowfall," said Narendra Kanwar, a local. Snow bodes well for the
tourism industry of Himachal Pradesh and in fact, it is the backbone of the state's
economy. More than three million tourists visit the state annually. Surrounded
by lofty peaks Dharamsala also doubles up as a winter getaway for tourists from
adjoining plains and peninsular India who have rarely experienced snowfall. Among
other popular tourist spots in Himachal Pradesh are Kinnaur, Manali in Kullu,
and Narkanda in Shimla district, which reportedly received snowfall ranging from
90 to 120 centimetres. In the upper reaches beyond Manali, the snowfall was said
to be between 120 to 210 centimetres.
