Snow being cleared on the Rohtang road on Wednesday

MANALI: A trucker from Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, spent over 60 hours marooned inside the driver’s cabin and another 24 hours trudging in deep snow before he found shelter at Snow and Avalance Study Establishment (Sase) centre at Pateso in Lahaul-Spiti district on early Wednesday morning.

According to police officials, Rajender Kumar was last in the convoy of trucks coming from Leh to Manali when it started snowing and he got left behind while others drove on. He was stuck in the snow at Bharatpur, just below the 16,050ft high Baralacha Pass. As the blizzard blew and dumped more snow, covering everything in deep mounds, he decided to leave the truck and find shelter elsewhere.

After walking almost 25 kms in knee-deep snow, Rajender was lucky to walk into the Sase centre some 24 hours later. Lucky, because the study centre in snow-bound region remains manned throughout the year. The employees there gave him shelter and even informed the rescue team at Keylong, which left for him immediately.

Officials said, according to information given by Rajender, there are many more people who are stuck in Lahaul and are waiting for the Keylong-Manali highway to open for vehicular traffic and reach home. While the rescue post at Koksar, just below the Rohtang Pass , has given shelter to 46 persons, mostly drivers, for almost a week now, many others have taken shelter in villages. According to BRO’s latest report, they have cleared the snow from the Manli-Leh highway but a thick layer of ice still covers the road surface. Vehicular movement would be allowed after ensuring that road surface has no ice and it is safe for vehicles.

Koksar rescue post in-charge Pawan Kumar said, “The road surface is very slippery. The area is witnessing extreme cold conditions after snowfall. Despite the snow being cleared, the icing of the road surface is a big challenge. Vehicles can skid on ice. Our team is carrying out a recce of the northern face of the Rohtang, which is shady and frozen.”

Keylong on Wednesday recorded a minimum temperature of minus 7.7 degrees Celsius. The temperature is expected to drop further in the coming days as meteorological centre in Shimla has predicted clear sky in next one week.

Bus service stopped on frozen Jalori Pass

Manali: Driving across the 10,300ft high Jalori Pass, which connects Kullu with Anni, Nirmand, Rampur and Kinnaur has become extremely dangerous as there is ice on the road at many places.

Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has stopped its services on all routes over the pass. Earlier this week, passengers had a narrow escape after a private bus carrying them slipped on snow near the pass. The road from Jalori Pass passes through a dense forest, making ice formation easy on road surface. There is a proposal to build a tunnel below the mountain pass.

HRTC regional manager Mangal Chand Manepa said snow and ice are the main risks. “If the weather turns pleasant in coming days, bus service will be resumed,” he said.

