Lahaul residents seek HRTC service via Rohtang tunnel

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, November 14

The residents of the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti have urged the state government to provide HRTC bus service via Rohtang tunnel twice a week during winter season for their convenience. The reason they cited is that due to frequent snowfall at Rohtang Pass, gateway to Lahaul, and its nearby places on the Manali-Leh highway, traveling on the route becomes risky because of recurring snow.

The BRO opened Rohtang Pass for traffic movement on Tuesday but Rohtang received fresh snowfall today which blocked the traffic movement on the Manali-Leh highway. The vehicles, which were moving towards Lahaul, were pushed back from Marhi and Gulaba towards Manali. Similarly, the vehicles movement was stopped from the Lahaul side towards Manali in view of public safety.

Prem Chand, a native of Lahaul, said “We urge the state government to provide HRTC bus service via Rohtang tunnel twice in a week during winter season, which will be a great help to tribals. In a majority of cases, family members of Lahaul live in Kullu-Manali. So, they need movement between Manali and Keylong”.

However during winter, the situation becomes grim when Rohtang Pass is closed for vehicular movement for more than six months every year. “We face huge difficulty to move in and out of the district during the period”, he said “So we urge the state government to provide transportation facility via tunnel twice a week for common residents of Lahaul Spiti. The tunnel authority is already providing access to emergency vehicles”, he remarked.

District Congress Committee Lahaul Spiti has submitted a memorandum of demands to Deputy Commissioner Lahaul Spiti and urged the state government to take quick action on the issue.Anil Sehgal, a spokesperson of District Congress Committee, Lahaul Spiti, while speaking to The Tribune, demanded, “The state government should start helicopter service for the residents of Lahaul-Spiti. It should provide bus service between Manali and Keylong twice a week via Rohtang tunnel.”