Shimla: Tourist hubs such as Shimla and Manali in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh have turned into a white wonderland, so have parts of Jammu and Kashmir with fresh snowfall and temperatures going several degrees below freezing point, bringing cheer to tourists visiting the places for Christmas holiday and also woes for vehicles.
While people are getting to experience ‘white Christmas’ in Shimla, Manali, and other tourist hubs of Himachal Pradesh, snowfall has led to the closure of over 200 roads, a surge in hotel bookings, and four deaths due to vehicle skidding incidents.
Social media has been flooded with images of Shimla and Manali beautifully draped in a blanket of snow. The MeT department has reportedly predicted rain and snow at isolated places in some parts of the state, Shimla in particular, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, with the downpour peaking on Saturday.
Tourists in hundreds of vehicles stranded near the Atal Tunnel were safely rescued till late on Monday, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue and Disaster) Onkar Sharma said. Sharma advised the tourists to adhere to the advisories issued by the district administration and the police, listen to suggestions from locals and refrain from driving in the snow.
Shimla reported most road closures (145), followed by 25 in Kullu and 20 in Mandi districts. Some areas were without electricity after 356 transformers stopped working, the State Emergency Operation Centre said. The figure of number of roads closed differed across reports as the work to clear snow was underway. Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said the department is ready to handle the tourist influx, adding that a total of 268 machineries, including two snow blowers, have been deployed to clear the roads.
Reports on Monday said four people died in accidents in 24 hours and several suffered injuries due to vehicles skidding at some places in Himachal Pradesh.
News agency IANS reported on Tuesday that upper Shimla was disconnected from the capital due to slippery roads, with only 4×4 vehicles being allowed.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 6.6 degrees Celsius on Monday night, while Pahalgam shivered at minus 7.8 degrees Celsius. The night temperature settled at minus 7.4 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg, minus 6.2 degrees in Qazigund, while Konibal, a hamlet in the Pampore region, was the coldest in the Valley at minus 8.
