Thick fog engulfs Shimla, tourists crowd Mall Road

Shimla, January 24

Thick fog engulfed Shimla city and its surrounding areas amid drizzle, sleet and traces of snow affecting normal life today. Shimla and Kufri received 15 cm and 14 cm of snow and visibility was reduced to a few metres during morning hours.

A large number of tourists were seen enjoying snow and dancing on The Ridge and taking a stroll on The Mall Road. Due to the heavy rush of tourists, traffic jams were witnessed in several areas, including the Tara Devi-Kachi Ghati stretch and the Lift in the city, and vehicles moved at a snail’s pace.

Keylong coldest

• The Met office has predicted rain and snowfall at isolated places in mid and high hills on Tuesday and a dry weather from January 26. Keylong was the coldest at minus 9°C.
• The famous tourist resorts of Kufri recorded a low of minus 3°C, Dalhousie minus 2°C and Shimla and Manali both zero degree. Una was the hottest at 14.6°C

Upper Shimla areas were inaccessible by road till afternoon as continuous snowfall at several places made roads slippery. However, the Theog-Chopal, Shimla-Rohru and Shimla-Rampur roads and the Kufri-Fagu stretch of the Shimla-Theog road were open for vehicular traffic, said Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, Aditya Negi. All roads in Shimla city were also open. However commuters should take precautions while driving on stretches on the hill shade side, he added.

Commuters cautioned

The Theog-Chopal, Shimla-Rohru and Shimla-Rampur roads have been opened for traffic. Commuters must take precautions while driving. —Aditya Negi, DC

Meanwhile, 785 roads (257 in Shimla, 181 in Lahaul and Spiti, 106 in Chamba, 45 in Mandi, 43 in Kullu, 40 in Kinnaur, nine in Sirmaur, and five in Solan) were closed due to snowfall and 1,130 power transformers and 287 water supply schemes were still disrupted.

Khadrala recorded 71 cm of snow, followed by Bharmaur and Chhatari 31 cm each, Shillaro 29 cm, Kalpa 26 cm, Nichar and Gondhla 20 cm each, Sangla 19 cm and Manali 10 cm. Naina Devi and Sangarh received 52 mm of rain each, followed by Nahan 45 mm, Renukaji 44 mm, Dharamsala and Bilaspur 40 mm each, Bharari 36 mm, Baijnath, Kasauli and Gaggal 35 mm each, Solan 29 mm, Wangtoo, Dharampur, Sarkaghat and Una 28 mm each, Banjar and Gohar 27 mm each, Sujanpur Tira 26 mm and Kotkhai 25 mm.

The local Met office has predicted rain and snowfall at isolated places in mid and high hills tomorrow and a dry weather January 26 onwards. Keylong was the coldest at minus 9°C.

The famous tourist resorts of Kufri recorded a low of minus 3°C, Dalhousie minus 2°C and Shimla

and Manali both zero degree. Una was the hottest at 14.6°C.