Manali-Leh highway reopens after four hours

The Manali-Leh Highway, which remained blocked for over four hours due to fresh landslides in Kullu district, was reopened for traffic on Wednesday evening, police said.

The highway has been opened for vehicles after the road near Marhi was cleared at around 4 pm on Wednesday, Kullu Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said.

Fresh landslides had occurred at Marhi between Manali and Rohtang on the Manali-Leh highway at around 11.30 am, he said, adding that the highway remained blocked for traffic till 4 pm.

The highway had been opened for vehicles on Tuesday after remaining blocked for some days following landslides and flash floods triggered due to heavy rains.

Several other roads in Kullu district, which too were blocked due to landslides and flash floods were reopened on Wednesday, police said.

However, only light vehicles were allowed to ply on the Kullu-Manali route from Patlikuhal to Manali as the road was still damaged near Green Tax barrier, Singh said.

The road via Naggar from Patlikuhal has been reopened for heavy vehicles as well, he added.

The Banta Morh road near Gulaba in Manali and the Kullu-Anni road have also been reopened only for light vehicles, the SP said, adding the latter is badly damaged near Saujha.

He said Sarsari road on the Manikaran-Bhuntar route has been reopened for light vehicles and the Public Works Department is working to clear it for heavy vehicles too.

Rain related incidents have killed at least 25 people and caused widespread destruction in Himachal Pradesh.