'Avoid travelling to Rohtang Pass, snowfall likely'

Avoid travelling to the Rohtang Pass that connect this Himachal Pradesh town to the Lahaul Valley due to high chances of snowfall, an official said on Thursday.

However, tourists and locals stranded at the pass have been evacuated.

"We are advising motorists to avoid travelling to the Rohtang Pass. After moderate snowfall on Wednesday, we have decided to shut the pass for two-three days," Kullu Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar told IANS.

He said more than 200 people stranded in the Rohtang Pass areas after snowfall were evacuated late Wednesday.

The Met office in Shimla has predicted moderate snowfall in the high hills of the state till November 6.

The weather at the Rohtang Pass (13,050 ft), a major attraction for both domestic and foreign tourists and located 52 km from Manali, is harsh. A sudden drop in the temperature, even in summer, can trigger winter-like conditions.

The Border Road Organisation (BRO) maintains the Rohtang Pass.

It starts withdrawing its men and machinery deployed at various locations along the pass by November 15 every year.

The pass, which remains closed for more than five months owing to heavy snowfall, also plays an important role in the movement of armed forces in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir.