Snow-clearing ops hit in Lahaul

Tribune News Service

Mandi, March 11

Bad weather has hampered the snow-clearing operation in Lahaul-Spiti district on Monday. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) performed a puja at Stingri near Keylong to start the operation. But the weather turned hostile and it started snowing in the region, preventing the BRO from starting the operation.

All roads of the district are blocked for the past two months. Due to that, people are deprived of the transportation facility. Lahaul-Spiti has been cut off from the rest of the state since December last year because of the closure of the Rohtang Pass. The pass receives heavy snow every year during winter.

The residents are demanding the speedy restoration of roads within the district and also of the Rohtang Pass. Till the filing of the report, around 10 cm fresh snowfall was observed at Keylong. However, in other places, it was more than that, plummeting the temperature drastically.

Now, the BRO is planning to resume the snow-clearing operation within one or two days, depending over weather conditions.

DC Lahaul-Spiti, Ashwani Kumar Chaudhari said the BRO had engaged its machinery and workforce.

“As soon as weather will become clear, the restoration work will begin,” he added. Manali also received fresh snowfall, while the lower region of Kullu and Mandi district received incessant rain.