After fresh snowfall at Rohtang Pass, the administration has decided to close the Rohtang Pass for vehicular traffic. Rohtang on Wednesday experienced around 6 inches of snow. Issuing of online permits to visit or cross Rohtang Pass have been closed.
Generally, Rohtang Pass is closed for traffic in mid November, but the vehicles keep plying in case of no snowfall. However crossing Rohtang at this time can be very dangerous due to extreme cold weather and icing on the road. The pass is prone to heavy snowfall all of a sudden, which could trap the visitors and put their lives in danger and it will not be possible to deal emergency situations in case of heavy snowfall. Therefore, directions have been issued to stop traffic on Manali-Sarchu road(Palchan to Sissu and Darcha to Sarchu).
Commanding Officer, 70 RCC GREF, told that the road is covered with frost at many places after the recent snowfall. Which has made the road risky for the vehicles. The GREF had requested the Kullu and Lahaul Spiti administrations to halt traffic for Rohtang for the safety of the commuters. Further DC Lahaul Spiti also wrote to DC Leh to request concerned authorities not to allow any vehicular traffic from Leh side.
BRO used to keep the road clear until December end for the movement of the officers and workers working on Rohtang tunnel. But now those people can pass through the tunnel as the both portals of tunnels are connected. The BRO has withdrawn its machineries from Manali-Rohtang-Koksar road.
The Lahaul Valley remains cut-off for 6 months after the Rohtang Pass closed in the winters. However people keep crossing the path on foot. Two rescue posts are set up, one at Marhi and other at Koksar to assist the on foot commuters until 31st December.
