Shimla receives heavy snow; normal life affected

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 10

Normal life was crippled as Shimla and adjoining areas received heavy snow, blocking most of the roads in the town.

Upper Shimla area was cut off due to heavy snow and supply of essential commodities like bread, milk and newspaper was hit.

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As many as 858 roads were blocked in the state, including 260 in Shimla, 167 in Lahaul and Spiti, 133 in Chamba, 79 in Mandi, 75 in Kullu, 71 in Kinnaur, 12 in Sirmaur and seven in Solan district and 3,722 transformers and 34 water supply schemes were disrupted.

Shimla received 30 cm of snow while Kufri was covered under 20 cm of snow. Bharmour im Chamba and Khadrala in Shimla recorded 61 cm of snow while Gondla and Manali received 40 cm and 37 cm of snow, followed by Keylong at 24 cm.

Heavy rain lashed several parts of the state.

Road clearance operations are in full swing and roads leading to IGMC, DDU and KNH hospitals besides cart roads have been opened for traffic while other main roads would be cleared of snow by the afternoon, said Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi.

Adequate machinery and manpower have been deployed at Kufri, Narkanda, Kharapathar, Khidki and other places covered under heavy snow to clear the roads, he added.

However, vehicular traffic has not been fully restored as slippery roads have made driving risky. The police have advised commuters to avoid driving.

Calcium chloride has been sprinkled on IGMC and Richmond stretch as an experiment.

A bright sunshine greeted Shimla town which donned a white mantle of snow, providing relief to people from the biting cold. The tourists thronged the Ridge and the Mall Road to enjoy snow.

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