Heavy snow at Rohtang, Solang, Gulaba

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, December 11

A heavy snowfall at Rohtang today closed the pass to the traffic on the Manali-Leh road, leaving Lahaul-Spiti cut-off from the state for almost six months.

Rohtang received around 30 cm snow while tourist places near Manali like Solang, Gulaba and Marhi experienced a considerable snowfall. Keylong had around 7 cm snowfall and Koksar 15 cm.

Manali experienced snowflakes which brought cheer to hoteliers. The room occupancy in Kullu-Manali hotels is 40 per cent but now hoteliers are hopeful that the fresh snowfall will attract more tourists.

Anup Thakur, president of the Hoteliers Association Kullu-Manali, said, “The snowfall is a boon for the tourism industry, which will give a boost to the sluggish industry. We are expecting white Christmas this year,” he added.

People of Lahaul-Spiti are in a quandary after the snowfall blocked the traffic between Kullu and Lahaul. They are seeking the helicopter service to visit out of the district.

DC, Lahaul Spiti, Ashwani Kumar Chaudhari said the traffic had been stopped between Lahaul and Kullu via Rohtang because of the heavy snowfall. The district administration had sought the helicopter service for Lahaul-Spiti people from the government to ferry tribals out of the district in emergency cases. Officials had been deputed at 11 helipads to help people avail the service.

The DC said, “Patients can be moved through the Rohtang tunnel from Lahaul towards the Kullu side and the BRO has given permission.” The telecom service has also been disrupted for the past few days. The BSNL restored the internet service for a few hours yesterday but it was again disrupted, hampering the work in government offices.”

He said he had also taken up the matter with BSNL officials to restore the telecommunication and internet services.

Snow predicted today

Shimla: The biting cold wave gripped most parts of Himachal as the high-altitude tribal areas and other higher hills had another spell of snow, causing a sharp fall in the minimum temperatures. Strong velocity icy winds lashed the region and the sky remained overcast with minimum temperatures staying between minus eight and minus 14 degree C while Keylong, Kalpa and Manali recorded a low of minus 5.1 degree, minus 4.0 degree and 0.4 degree, two to four degree below normal. The mid and lower hills received light rain but the mercury plummeted and stayed three to four degree below normal.Bhuntar, Solan and Shimla shivered at 1 degree, 3.5 degree and 3.7 degree C while Una and Nahan recorded a low of 6.8 degree C. All natural sources of water like lakes, springs, rivulets and tributaries of major rivers and 70-km stretch of the Chandrabhaga have frozen, reducing the discharge of water in snowfed rivers and affecting hydropower generation.  The local MeT office has predicted thunderstorm, rain and snow in the region on Wednesday and dry weather from Thursday. — TNS

Hoteliers elated

• Rohtang got around 30 cm snow while Solang, Gulaba and Marhi experienced a considerable snowfall
• Keylong had around 7 cm snowfall and Koksar 15 cm
• Manali experienced snowflakes which brought cheer to hoteliers
• Hoteliers are hopeful that the fresh snowfall will attract more tourists