Hundreds stranded as Leh road blocked

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 28

Hundreds of commuters were stranded on the Manali-Leh National Highway near Patseu in the tribal district Lahaul-Spiti, 50 km from Keylong, as a landslide took place in the area around 11 pm on Tuesday night because of cloudburst.

According to sources, a large number of vehicles were stuck in the traffic jam from both Lahaul and Leh side.

There had been incessant rain in the area since yesterday which triggered the landslide.

The tourists, who were forced to spend the night in vehicles, went without food and water as the area was isolated.

The Border Roads Organisation authorities had engaged its workforce and machinery and cleared the road this afternoon.

Local people also rushed to the area to provide help to stranded tourists, who were without food and water.

Chander Mohan Parsheera and Kishan, residents of the district, who had visited the spot, told The Tribune that there were a large number of vehicles from both sides between Patseu and Jingjingbar.

They said a majority of tourists were returning from the Leh-Ladakh region to Manali and Lahaul-Spiti.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Commander AK Awasthi said, “We have engaged two JCBs, one excavator and 50 labourers to clear the debris from the road and till 1:30pm, the road was cleared for smooth traffic.”

Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul Spiti, Deva Singh Negi said the road had been opened for traffic.

To avoid traffic chaos earlier, the district administration had alerted check-posts at Sarchu and Keylong to inform people about the landslide and requested them to wait until the road was cleared for the traffic movement.