Heavy snowfall across the western Himalayan region over the past 48 hours has caused widespread disruption in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Kashmir, leading to massive traffic jams, power and water outages, and hundreds of tourists being stranded. Near Manali, traffic stretched up to 15 km as slippery roads and a surge of tourists during the long Republic Day weekend brought movement to a halt.
In Himachal Pradesh, fresh snowfall ended a long dry spell but severely affected daily life, especially in tourist hubs like Shimla and Manali. Vehicles crawled for hours on snow-covered roads, forcing many travellers to abandon their cars and walk long distances.
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Traffic chaos and stranded tourists
Reportedly, more than 600 tourists were stranded near Manali, with several spending the night inside their vehicles after traffic came to a standstill. An Instagram user (mukesh_mahiwal) shared, “Traffic restrictions have been imposed in Manali following heavy snowfall. All normal vehicles – buses, cars, tempo travellers, and bikes – are only allowed up to Patli Kuhal. Only 4x4 vehicles are allowed from Patli Kuhal to Manali.”
Tourists also complained of overcharging by private taxi operators after public transport was suspended.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), 683 roads across Himachal Pradesh were blocked, including two national highways: NH-03 (Koksar–Darcha) and NH-505 (Gramphu–Batal). The authority also shared updates and helpline numbers.
As per a report of Hindustan Times, Public Works Department minister Vikramaditya Singh said snow clearance was underway. “JCBs and poclain machines are continuously engaged in clearing roads in hilly areas. Higher reaches have received 2.5 to 3 feet of snow, while high-altitude areas have recorded up to 4 feet, making road clearance time-consuming,” he said.
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Power cuts, rescues and fresh advisory
Power and water supply were also hit, with 5,775 distribution transformers disrupted and 126 water supply schemes affected. Large parts of Shimla district remained without electricity for over 30 hours, while bus services on more than 1,200 routes were suspended.
The worst-hit districts include Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Chamba, Kullu and Sirmaur. Rescue operations continued across states, with tourists evacuated in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Kashmir. With more rain and snow forecast between January 26 and 28, the Himachal government issued a fresh advisory urging caution and avoiding unnecessary travel.
