Shimla, Jan 24,
Even that the snowfall has subsided yet normal life remained disrupted for the second consecutive day on Saturday in Shimla city. The town received around one-and-a-half feet of snowfall, leaving most roads closed and traffic almost completely standstill.
As.per information available at the time of filing this report Shimla remains cut off from adjoining areas as most internal roads and key approach routes could not be restored till Saturday afternoon.
According to the latest traffic advisory issued by Shimla Police on Saturday morning, several major roads outside Shimla were closed due to heavy snow and slippery conditions. These include the Shimla–Karsog road, Shimla–Theog road, Theog–Kotkhai, Theog–Rampur, Theog–Rohru and Theog–Chopal roads.
The Shimla–Solan National Highway was reported to be slippery, and motorists were advised to avoid travel.
Within Shimla city, all major internal roads also remained closed. The affected roads include the Tutikandi–Phagli bypass, Kennedy–Annandale road, Shimla–Totu road, Khalini–BCS–Vikas Nagar road, Victory Tunnel–Lakkar Bazaar–Sanjauli stretch, Chotta Shimla–Sanjauli–Dhalli road, Chotta Shimla–Kasumpti road and Mehli–Shanan–Bhattakufar–
Roads beyond Dhalli towards the upper areas of Shimla district also remained closed and could not be reopened immediately, further isolating several localities. Due to the near-total halt in vehicular movement, many commuters were forced to observe a casual leave as offices and institutions recorded low attendance.
The snowfall also disrupted essential services. Around 411 distribution transformers were reported to be out of service in Shimla town on Friday, of which power supply was restored to 119 transformers by midnight. Restoration work was continuing in the remaining areas. Sub-zero night temperatures intensified the cold wave, while water supply, power and communication services remained partially crippled in several localities.
The district administration urged tourists to wait for the reopening of major roads, cautioning that conditions were not conducive for safe travel. Meanwhile, agencies were engaged in removing black ice from priority routes leading to hospitals and government offices to facilitate emergency movement.
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