Himachal Pradesh: Around 800 tourists stranded in 489 vehicles due to snowfall between Jispah and Sissu in Lahaul-Spiti district were rescued by the district administration, police, BRO, DDMA and Public Works Department (PWD) in an operation that lasted about five hours last night. The snowfall had made the road slippery and several vehicles collided with each other, causing a traffic jam. The rescue team evacuated the stranded people safely and made arrangements for their stay and food. Lahaul-Spiti SP Mayank Chaudhary said that the vehicles were stranded at Ghepan Temple and Khangsar Point between Sissu and Gondhla. He said that the weather turned bad in the afternoon and the police guided the tourists when they reached Lahaul after crossing the Atal Tunnel. He said, “Tourists were appealed not to go too far and return before heavy snowfall. I appreciate the bravery of all the members involved in the rescue operation and thank the volunteers of Lahaul Ecotourism Society for their invaluable support and cooperation.” The SP said that due to speeding near the northern gate of Atal Tunnel, a car carrying five people from New Delhi collided with a tipper on a slippery road, killing one person while three others were injured. He said that the deceased has been identified as Bhishma Garg (49), a resident of New Delhi, he was the owner of the car. The SP said that the injured are being treated at Manali Hospital.
He appealed to the tourists to travel only after knowing the weather conditions, following the advice of the police and contacting the DDMA. Meanwhile, tourists who came to visit Lahaul Valley over the weekend had a lot of fun amid snowfall. A white sheet of snow was spread on the south gate of Atal Tunnel and Solang Nala. Due to snowfall, Seven Sister Peak, Manali Peak, Ghepan Peak, Dev Tibba, Hanuman Tibba and other peaks around Manali and Lahaul also turned white. Due to this, the entire valley came under the grip of severe cold. Tourists had a lot of fun in Solang Nala. Vehicles were not allowed to pass through the southern gate of the Atal Tunnel. Snowfall occurred till Palchan near Manali and tourism businessmen are now hoping for a White Christmas, on which a lot of tourists come. Tourism businessmen Raju and Raghu Chhewang said that so far this season, there has been snowfall twice in Lahaul, but it is not very much. He said that snowfall in the coming days will boost the tourism business.
