Heavy snowfall in Shimla throws life out of gear

Tribune News Service

Bhanu P Lohumi

Shimla, February 4

Normal life was paralysed and the state capital Shimla and several other areas were cut off by road as heavy snowfall wreaked havoc today. Vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt and trees were uprooted, damaging overhead power transmission lines and disrupting power supply.

Earlier, vehicles were moving at a snail’s pace on the Shimla-Shoghi road leading to Chandigarh due to the skidding of vehicles, causing major traffic jams but it was closed in the evening due to slippery road conditions and all roads leading to the state capital were closed.

Most of the roads in Shimla town are also closed for vehicular traffic. Manpower and machinery have been deployed and road clearing operations were underway on a war footing. However, continuous heavy snowfall is hampering the operations, said Shimla Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi.

As many as 640 roads, including 168 in Shimla, 138 in Lahaul & Spiti, 100 in Mandi, 88 in Chamba, 66 in Kullu, 36 in Sirmaur, 26 in Kinnaur and 18 in Solan were closed in the state. As many as 2,840 transformers and 184 water supply schemes were disrupted.

Trees were uprooted near Himland Hotel, Chaura Maidan, Portmore school, Summerhill, damaging overhead power transmission lines. State Electricity Board employees are on their toes, repairing the damaged transmission lines and poles.

The occupancy in hotels is about 75 per cent as a large number of tourists could not leave the city due to snow, said Tourism Industry Stakeholders Association president MK Seth.

The Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) has issued an avalanche warning in high-altitude areas and other higher hills while Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has also appealed to the people to exercise caution and abide by advisories.

Famous tourist destination of Kufri and Rohtang Top received 60 cm of fresh snow, followed by Shimla and Khadrala with 48 cm of snow, Salooni 45 cm, Dalhousie and Shillaroo 30 cm, Jubbar Hatti and Chopal 25 cm, Manali and Kalpa 20 cm, Nichar 15 cm and Kalpa 10 cm.

The Meteorological office has predicted snow and rain in middle and high hills for the next four days.

640 roads closed in state

• As many as 640 roads were closed in the state and 2,840 transformers were disrupted
• Avalanche threat looms large over tribal areas and other higher reaches
• Power supply snapped at several places due to uprooting of trees

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