Heavy snow: 600 roads closed in HP
More snow, rain likely on January 31 and February 1
SHIMLA: A fresh spell of snow in Himachal Pradesh threw life out of gear on Wednesday with 632 roads, including three national highways, closed for traffic due to slippery roads.
Shimla got 10.2cm of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 1 °C, while Kufri shivered at minus 4.4°C. The snow hampered traffic on the main Circular Road in Shimla, delaying the supply of daily essentials. The stretch connecting Victory Tunnel to Sanjauli was closed after snowfall overnight.
The strategic Hindustan-tibet road and the apple belt of Shimla district also remained closed for the second day due to heavy snowfall at Kufri and Narkanda. “No vehicle is being allowed beyond Dhalli. Machines are working to clear the stretch of snow,” said Shimla superintendent of police Omapati Jamwal.
The Theog-hatkoti road was blocked due to snowfall at Kharapathar. Police were deployed to assist stranded passengers. Khidki in Chopal also received heavy snowfall.
As many as 62 panchayats in Sirmaur district are without power for a week and several villages in the district are without water after supply lines were damaged due to the snowfall.
The Sainj-banjar highway that connects 58 panchayats in Kullu district was closed for traffic after Jalori Pass received more than 40cm of snowfall.
The tribal Bharmour and Pangi areas of Chamba district got up to 25cm of snowfall. Dalhousie received 16cm of snow and recorded a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Pangi sub-divisional magistrate Vishurt Bharti said men and machinery have been deployed to clear the roads. Several villages in Tissa sub division are also cut off.
More than 450 people are waiting to be airlifted from Pangi, many of them government employees.
State meteorological department director Manmohan Singh said, “The weather will remain dry on Thursday though snow and rain are likely on January 31 and February 1 in the mid and higher hills of the state.”