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Heavy snow, rain disrupts life in Himachal, key routes blocked in Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi
Slippery roads lead to traffic jams in Shimla, advisory issued for Manali travellers; five tourists rescued from Jalori Jot; several houses damaged in Chamba.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued a fresh alert for widespread snowfall and rainfall across Himachal Pradesh, warning of continued disruption to daily life over the weekend even as commuters struggled on slippery stretches and traffic jams were the order of the day following the season’s first significant spell.
Heavy snowfall led to the closure of several critical road arteries in the remote Lahaul-Spiti district. National Highway-003 is currently shut between Koksar and Darcha, while connectivity from Koksar to Rohtang Pass, Gramphu to Batal, and Losar to Batal has also been suspended.
In Manali and its suburbs, the administration has issued a fresh travel advisory citing slippery road conditions and poor visibility. Residents are urged to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary. For essential movement, the use of 4x4 vehicles is mandatory. Furthermore, vehicles headed from Kullu toward Manali are being restricted at Patlikuhal, as the stretch ahead is deemed unsafe for driving.
The Mandi-Kullu road via Kataula remains blocked near Kandi due to heavy snow accumulation. While the Kanda-Janjehli road is open, it is restricted to 4x4 vehicles only. Several other local routes, including Janjehli-Karsog (via Rajgarh), Janjehli-Chattri, and Kamand-Prashar, are currently impassable.
Additionally, the Sundernagar-Karsog road is blocked at Rohanda, Chowki, and Pandar.
According to the IMD, a new western disturbance is set to impact the state on January 26, bringing multiple spells of moderate to heavy snowfall and snowstorms in several districts of the hill state over the subsequent days.
Sandeep Kumar Sharma, a senior scientist at IMD, Shimla, said: “A western disturbance has been active over Himachal Pradesh since Thursday night. Consequently, rainfall has been recorded across the state, while three to four districts have experienced snowfall.”
Sharma said that the current weather activity will persist until late on Friday, with snowfall in the higher reaches and rain in parts of Kangra and Mandi. While a brief reduction in intensity is expected on January 25, the next disturbance on January 26 will trigger fresh precipitation. “From January 26 to 28, widespread rain and snowfall is expected. Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kinnaur, and Kullu are likely to receive heavy snowfall, for which an orange alert has been issued,” he added.
The IMD has advised residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, especially in higher reaches, as conditions are expected to worsen.
Five tourists were stranded at Raghupur Camp near Jalori Jot in the Banjar sub-division following heavy snowfall and strong winds. The group shared videos on social media appealing for help as snow began entering their camp.
A Banjar police team was despatched to the spot, and local operator Sunil Kumar confirmed the group is safe.
Kullu superintendent of police Madan Lal Kaushal said the situation is being monitored and urged people to travel only if absolutely necessary.
In the Bharmour area of Chamba, a snowstorm blew off the roofs of more than 10 houses early on Friday.
Villagers contacted the departments concerned over phone to seek relief for the affected families.
Meanwhile, in Shimla, snowfall brought traffic to a near standstill, with roads turning extremely slippery and long jams reported at multiple locations.
Power outages in Shimla
Heavy snow and high-velocity winds—peaking at 87 kmph in Narkanda and 67 kmph in Kufri—triggered power outages in parts of Shimla district. The authorities shut the Deha-Chopal main road, and travel advisories have been issued for the upper reaches. As per a spokesperson of Himachal Pradesh state electricity board, 13,303 transformer were damaged out of which 2,919 have been restored.
The IMD has predicted heavy rain or snow at isolated spots later today. “A fresh western disturbance is expected to hit the region on January 26,” an official said, warning that weather activity could intensify further.
Restore essential services: Sukhu
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday directed the officials to ensure normalcy across various regions of the state, specifically mandating that roads leading to hospitals and other emergency service institutions be cleared on a priority basis.
Sukhu called for the swift restoration of power and water supply schemes in the affected areas. He asked all district administrations to remain vigilant and provide immediate assistance to those in need.
Addressing long-term concerns, he remarked on the continuous impact of climate change on the environment and stated that the State Government has directed officials to conduct in-depth studies on climate change. This initiative aims to integrate necessary environmental conservation provisions into future policies and development programs to ensure a sustainable future for Himachal Pradesh.
