No vehicles to ply between Rohtang and Kokhsar

: The administration of Lahaul and Spiti district has evoked Section 144 of the CrPC to restrict entry of vehicles on the 56km stretch between Kokhsar to Rohtang.

In its order on Saturday, Lahaul and Spiti DC Deva Singh Negi said the BRO had officially closed the road for vehicular traffic on November 15. “I am convinced to prohibit the entry of vehicles keeping public safety in mind,” the DC Said.

“Exercising power under Section 144 of the CrPC and 115 of the Motor Vehicle Act, I order to prohibit the vehicular traffic between Kokhsar to Rohtang,” the order further reads, adding, “Only emergency vehicles or those carrying essential goods will be allowed to ply on this road, that too, with prior permission of the administration.

As per the Section 115 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, the government in the interest of public safety or convenience because of the nature of any road or bridge, may prohibit the entry of vehicles on particular road or stretch.

More than 400 people had have been stranded at Kokhsar since Manali-Leh highway remained blocked due to heavy snow earlier this week.

It took five days of efforts for the BRO to clear the road patch to evacuate those stranded.

Even as the road has been cleared, due to cold wave condition, the stretch has been literally frozen.