Thousands of tourists spend freezing night in Atal tunnel

KULLU/JAMMU: Thousands of tourists were stranded in Atal Tunnel and nearby areas of Himachal’s Lahaul Spiti due to heavy snowfall since Sunday evening, prompting a rescue by police and Border Roads Organisation (BRO). At Kishtwar in neighbouring J&K, the Army rescued 235 civilians from a mountain pass after heavy snowfall and severe weather conditions blocked paths.

Over 1,000 vehicles were stuck in Atal Tunnel on Sunday evening. More than 2 feet of snow accumulated in the area around the tunnel. As the highway to Manali got blocked, thousands spent the night shivering inside their vehicles. Some were stuck for almost 20 hours.
“We guided 700 of the over 1,000 stranded vehicles from Atal Tunnel to Manali on Sunday night.

The remaining were back by Monday afternoon,” Manali DSP KD Sharma, part of the rescue team, said. On Monday, Kullu Police closed ManaliAtal Tunnel highway due to snowfall. Police in Lahaul Spiti issued an advisory to avoid unnecessary travel. Manali’s minimum temperature was 2.9 degrees. A yellow alert has been issued for light rain and snow in Himachal on March 17 and 18, and an orange alert for heavy rain and snow on March 19.

In Kishtwar, the rescue was centered on Sinthan Top, a mountain pass and a popular tourist spot. “On March 15, information was received regarding 235 civilians and 38 stranded vehicles. Teams reached Sinthon Top and the stranded civilians were provided hot meals, water and shelter,” a spokesperson for the Army’s White Knight Corps said.
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