Year’s first whiteout in Shimla
Around 250 main and lateral roads were closed for traffic due to heavy snowfall in eight districts
Tourists and locals walk on the Ridge amid heavy snowfall on Thursday. Shimla received around 50 cm snow. Other popular tourist destinations such as Manali, Kufri and Dalhousie also donned the white mantle.
SHIMLA Shimla received this year’s first spell of snowfall on Thursday morning, bringing cheer to tourists, hoteliers and apple growers. However, it also brought life in the higher altitude regions of the state, including the state capital, to a grinding halt.
Around 250 main and lateral roads were closed for traffic due to heavy snowfall in eight districts. The strategic Hindustantibet Road or National Highway 22 was closed for traffic at Kufri and Narkanda near Shimla due to the snowfall.
In Shimla town, snow accumulated on the circular road and the continuous snowfall hampered the snow-clearing operations on the main road and other roads, including national highway 5 that connects Dhalli and Fagu. Meteorological department director Manmohan Singh said that year’s first snowfall, of 50cm, was witnessed in Shimla on Thursday morning.
In the past 30 years, the heaviest snowfall within 24-hours had occurred on February 12, 2002, which was 54.1cm.
Highest monthly snowfall in February in the last 30 years was of 151.3cm and had occurred in 1990, while the second highest was of 113cm in 2007. “Thursday witnessed rainfall and snowfall at multiple places across Himachal. But it’s main effect was in Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur and Kinnaur. Snow is likely to continue in Shimla, Sirmaur, Kinnaur, and parts of Lahaul and Spiti, Mandi, Kullu, Chamba and Kangra in the next 5-6 hours,” he added.“besides NH-22, more than 200 lateral roads in the state have been closed for traffic due to the snowfall and slippery conditions,” state public works department chief engineer Archana Thakur said. The Shimla-kalka Road was closed for traffic beyond Tara Devi Temple, eight kilometers downhill from the main town, due to snowfall.
Shimla additional superintendent of police Parveer Thakur said, “Continuous snowfall has hampered efforts to clear snow accumulated in Shimla and surrounding areas.”
More snowfall in Valley
SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Kashmir received yet another spell of snowfall on Wednesday night. However, as per the weather department’s prediction the weather improved in the afternoon.
This is the third snow spell witnessed this month. “Light to moderate rainfall and snowfall took place in most places of Jammu and Kashmir,” said regional IMD director Sonum Lotus.
Traffic movement on the 270-km Jammu-srinagar national highway—the only allweather surface link with Kashmir — remained briefly disrupted on Friday morning due to snowfall at the Jawahar Tunnel in Ramban district.
However, after brief disruption due to snowfall and consequent slipperiness, Srinagarbound light motor vehicles from Nagrota in Jammu district were allowed to cross at 11am.
According to the latest advisory issued by the traffic police there will be no traffic movement on the road each week on Friday.