Manali-Leh National Highway blocked again, Lahaul valley cut off

Tribune News Service

Mandi, January 20

Heavy snowfall at Atal Tunnel and its nearby areas once again blocked the road traffic between Manali and Keylong here today. Earlier too, this stretch of the Manali-Leh National Highway (NH) was blocked due to heavy snowfall.

As a result, Lahaul valley residents have been cut off from the rest of the state from the Manali side.

In view of public safety, the movement of tourists was also not allowed towards the Solang valley beyond Nehru Kund from the Manali side.

Talking to The Tribune, Manali Subdivsional Magistrate (SDM) Surender Thakur said around 5-ft snowfall on the ground was recorded at Atal Tunnel today. Around 75 cm of fresh snow was recorded near Atal Tunnel, while it was around 45 cm at Solang nullah and Kothi.

“In rural areas of Manali, the power supply has been disrupted in a few villages and efforts are on to restore it at the earliest,” he added.

Further, the Aut-Luhri highway was also blocked to traffic between Kullu and Ani due to heavy snowfall at Jalori pass in the region. Several rural roads have been blocked in Kullu district too. In Lahaul and Spiti district, normal life has been affected and traffic has come to a standstill.

Lahaul and Spiti Deputy Commissioner Sumit Khimta said due to fresh snowfall, the traffic movement inside the district was disrupted today.

Meanwhile, four district roads and 25 rural roads were blocked in Mandi today. Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary has asked the Public Works Department to restore these roads on priority.

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