KULLU, January 21, 2024 — A 15-kilometer stretch of highway near Manali, Himachal Pradesh, became a parking lot over the weekend, trapping thousands of tourists in sub-zero temperatures for up to 12 hours. The unprecedented gridlock, fueled by a surge in visitors hoping to witness snowfall, forced many to abandon their vehicles and trek downhill.
Tourists Stranded as Manali Traffic Reaches Breaking Point
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Thousands remain stuck in icy conditions as a combination of heavy traffic and slick roads paralyzes a popular hill station.
- A massive influx of tourists seeking snow led to a 10-hour crawl along a 15km stretch of highway.
- Temperatures plummeted below freezing, leaving travelers stranded overnight in their vehicles.
- Desperate tourists were forced to walk on icy roads to escape the congestion.
- Authorities have blocked further entry to the area and are prioritizing evacuation.
- Another spell of heavy rain and snow is forecast for January 26-28, raising concerns of further disruptions.
Q: What caused the massive traffic jam near Manali? A: An unusually large number of tourists descended on Manali hoping to experience snowfall, overwhelming the narrow, two-lane Kullu-Manali highway and creating a standstill exacerbated by icy road conditions.
Nightmarish Conditions for Stranded Travelers
The worst bottlenecks occurred on exit routes from Manali, with jams extending over 10 kilometers to the 15 Mile point near Patlikuhal. A video circulating online, reportedly taken around 2:30 am Sunday, showed tourists struggling to pull their luggage across icy surfaces, with several people slipping and falling. “This is the situation of people who rushed to Manali, ended up stranded,” one X user, @rose_k01, posted.
Kulwinder Singh, a tourist from Ferozepur, Punjab, described a harrowing overnight experience. “It took us 12 hours just to reach Patlikuhal,” he said. “We spent the night shivering in the car. I have never seen such a nightmarish traffic jam.” Many families, including young children, endured similar conditions, trapped inside their vehicles as temperatures dropped below freezing.
Desperate Measures and Limited Progress
Despite efforts by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to clear snow, icy patches and the sheer volume of traffic rendered the highway nearly impassable. Frustrated tourists began abandoning their cars and walking toward Patlikuhal. “This is easily the worst jam I’ve ever seen,” said Himanshu Sharma, a tourist from Noida. “I can reach Patlikuhal faster on foot than by car.”
Authorities attempted to manage the situation by blocking further entry to Manali at Patlikuhal and Bhuntar, near Kullu airport. “We are only allowing 4×4 vehicles beyond Patlikuhal to prioritize evacuation of stranded tourists,” explained Manali DSP K D Sharma. Kullu SP Madan Lal characterized the influx as unprecedented, noting that around 200 police personnel had been deployed to manage the chaos.
Further Disruptions Loom
The situation remains precarious, with the Shimla Met office forecasting another spell of heavy rain and snow from the night of January 26 through January 28. A severe cold wave continues to grip the Himalayan state. Tabo village in the remote Lahaul-Spiti district recorded the lowest temperature in the state on Sunday, plummeting to -10 degrees Celsius. Manali itself registered a frigid -1.1 degrees Celsius.
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