Snow-clearing ops begin to open link roads in Lahaul

Tribune News Service

Mandi, April 25

The BRO and PWD authorities have started snow-clearing operation in the Lahaul valley to restore internal roads for traffic movement in the tribal district. Traffic had come to a standstill in the entire Lahaul valley after fresh snowfall hampered traffic movement badly in the region.

Today, the BRO and PWD engaged their workforce and machinery in clearing snow so that link roads of the Lahaul valley could be restored for traffic movement. The roads linking Keylong with Udaipur and Keylong with Darcha were thrown open today.

A massive landslide was reported today, which cut off the road connectivity to Miyar valley. The BRO had yesterday restored Manali-Keylong road for traffic via Atal Tunnel.

The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) today started bus service between Kullu and Keylong and Keylong and Udaipur for the convenience of tribals in the district.

According to Mangal Manepa, Regional Manager, HRTC Depot at Keylong, only three bus routes have been resumed in Lahaul valley, while 21 routes remained suspended. Manepa said that due to heavy snowfall in Lahaul Spiti and Pangi region of Chamba district, a majority of bus routes were affected. In Pangi, today only one bus route was restored out of a total 26.

He said that the fresh snowfall in the last three days had caused considerable loss of revenue to the HRTC because a majority of bus routes are suspended. The road from Udaipur ahead towards Pangi was not suitable for traffic movement because of heavy snow.

Pankaj Rai, Deputy Commissioner Lahaul Spiti told The Tribune that the snow clearance operation was in full swing in Lahaul valley to restore internal road link roads. He said that the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board was working hard to restore power supply in villages. The recent snowfall has done considerable loss to the power structure in Lahaul valley.