Shimla, Dec 28,
A snow/rain bound western disturbance that has persisted over Himachal Pradesh since the night of December 26 has severely disrupted road connectivity and normal life across the state. Heavy snowfall has rendered 23 major routes, including the Old Hindustan-Tibet Road (NH-5) and Hindustan National Highway No.-3, inaccessible. Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors and avoid travel due to unsafe conditions.
In Shimla district, NH-5 remains blocked at Kufri and Narkanda, with vehicular traffic being diverted via Kaithlighat to Rampur. NH-705, connecting Theog and Hatkoti, has also been severely impacted. Local routes such as Deha-Chopal, Rohru-Chanshal-Dodra, and Rohru to Rampur near Sungri are completely snowbound, while several roads in Dodrakawar remain blocked. Efforts to clear snow are underway with two JCB machines and a dozer deployed, particularly on critical routes like Patshal-Khadapather.
Electricity and water supplies are mostly unaffected; however, isolated disruptions due to transformer issues have been reported in areas like Jubbal. Restoration teams are working to resolve these issues promptly.
Though not much from Kinnaur district has been reported but in Lahaul-Spiti, the situation remains dire.
Police rescued a truck driver and conductor stranded at Rohtang Pass for six days.
Meanwhile, a pickup truck skidded into a gorge near Solang after the driver lost control. Many vehicles have struggled on the Manali-Rohtang Tunnel road near the South Portal, and Keylong and Koksar have reported two to three feet of snowfall, leaving all major roads in the district impassable.
The weather has taken a harsh turn across the state, with heavy rain recorded in several areas, causing a significant drop in temperatures to below-normal levels.
Shimla recorded temperatures around -2°C, with Manali dropping to -4°C. In higher altitudes like Keylong and Kalpa, temperatures plummeted to -10°C and -8°C, respectively.
The state government has mobilized resources to restore connectivity and ensure public safety.
Travelers are advised to monitor official updates, avoid venturing into affected areas, and exercise extreme caution while traveling. Authorities continue their efforts to clear snow and resume normal traffic flow as soon as possible.
