Shimla, Kufri witness fresh snowfall

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 28

Heavy snowfall in Shimla and Kufri cut off the upper areas beyond Dhalli today. As many as 120 roads, including four national highways, are blocked.

A maximum of 72 roads are closed in Shimla zone, 37 in Kangra and seven in Mandi, two national highways each are closed in Shimla and Shahpur. As many as 132 JCBs, dozers and tippers have been pressed into service. “Around 63 roads are expected to be opened by tonight,” sources in the PWD said.

Loss to public property has gone up to Rs 147.65 crore. As many as 159 routes of the HRTC have been hit and 30 buses are stranded en route.

Kufri received 20 cm of snow, followed by Kothi 15 cm, Kalpa 11 cm, Shimla and Dalhousie 8 cm each, Kharapathar 7.6 cm, Manali 3 cm and Gondala, and Pooh 2 cm each, while widespread rain lashed the middle and lower hills. Solan was the wettest, followed by Kasauli and Dharamsala.

“The district administration, police, PWD and NHAI rescued 69 passengers from three HRTC buses stuck near Kufri on Monday night,” said Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap. He said the Dhalli-Kufri-Fagu stretch, Kharapathar, Chopal and Narkanda were blocked due to heavy snow, besides remote Dodra Kwar subdivision.

Vehicular movement was suspended beyond Dhalli due to slippery conditions, said SP Omapati Jamwal adding that the road from Mashobra-Bstantpur was open.

Meanwhile, the police escorted about 270 vehicles stranded near Chharabda,Thanda nullah, Kufri, Lambidhar and Chini Bangla on Monday night. A 50-year-old patient, Usha, who was vomiting blood, was taken to the IGMC from Theog in a police vehicle today.

The local MeT office has predicted rain and thundershowers at a few places in the lower hills and rain/snow at many places in the middle and higher hills tomorrow. Weather will remain dry tomorrow and February 2 and 3, while rain is likely at isolated places in the middle and higher hills on January 31 and February 1.

However, the tourism industry is happy as snowfall will increase the tourist rush to the state capital and the hotel occupancy is expected to go up.

Status of roads in Shimla dist

Shimla (Urban) - All main roads are open

Shimla (Rural) - Kufri is blocked on Dhalli- Fagu stretch

Theog - Fagu-Theog road is blocked

Chopal - Chopal-Shimla roads is blocked besides four link roads

Rohru - Khadapathar is blocked besides seven link roads

Rampur - Main roads are open but two link roads are blocked.

Kumarsain - Narkanda is blocked besides five links roads

Dodra Kwar - Roads are blocked

Travel advisory

The district administration has asked commuters not to drive on slippery roads, turn on hazard lights in case of heavy snowfall and keep blankets, bottled water and beverages to avoid dehydration.

Emergency numbers

In case of any emergency, one can call on 1077 and 0177-2800880, 2800881, 2800882 and 2800883 (district disaster management cell)