Three months on, HRTC resumes service on Manali-Leh highway

Tribune News Service

Mandi, February 15

The HRTC resumed its bus service between Manali and Keylong via Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway today after a gap of around three months. The opening of the tunnel will provide transportation facility to Manali and the areas beyond to the residents of Lahaul valley during winter season.

Trial conducted on Sunday

The HRTC had conducted a bus trial on this road on Sunday. As it resumed service on Monday, 23 persons travelled from Manali to Lahaul and an equal number of people travelled from Lahaul to Manali in this bus.

“The Border Roads Organisation has restored the highway from the Manali side in Kullu up to Keylong in Lahaul Spiti via Atal Tunnel for the movement of vehicles. The HRTC yesterday conducted a bus trial on the highway. As the trial was successful, it was decided to resume bus service on this route”, Regional Manager, HRTC Depot at Keylong, Mangal Manepa said.

“Today 23 persons travelled from Manali to Lahaul and an equal number of people travelled from Lahaul to Manali in this bus. The bus service was suspended on this route last year in November after heavy snowfall. Now, the bus service will continue on this route in the coming days depending on weather conditions”, he remarked.

The residents of Lahaul valley are delighted by the decision of the HRTC authorities to resume bus service on the route. This will provide easy movement to tourists as well as local residents living in the Lahaul valley.

The residents of the Lahaul valley told The Tribune: “The opening of Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway has transformed our lives and brought happiness. It is the first winter season when bus service has been resumed after a gap of just three months.”

Kishan Kumar, Anil Sehgal, Prem Lal and many other residents of Lahaul said: “With the start of bus service, the tourists will be able to reach Lahaul valley from Manali to enjoy the ongoing snow festival. Prior to the construction of Atal Tunnel, the residents of the Lahaul valley used to remain cut off from the rest of the state for more than six months every year because of heavy snowfall on the 13,058 feet high Rohtang Pass, the gateway to Lahaul-Spiti. Due to that the residents of the valley had to depend on helicopter service provided by the state government in emergency cases.”