- By Shibra Arshad
- Sun, 25 Jan 2026 09:11 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Manali Snowfall Nightmare: Tourists in the hill station of Manali faced extensive struggles on Saturday due to a traffic bottleneck and fully occupied hotels following the season’s first snowfall. Roads leading to Himachal’s Manali were crammed with vehicles, stuck in massive traffic jams for hours.
One of the stretches between Kothi and Manali was jam-packed for nearly 8 hours, as a long weekend worsened the situation. Hotels in Manali were 100 per cent occupied as tourists headed to see the season’s first snowfall after nearly a three-month drought.
People are now moving towards Kullu due to the extreme rush and 100 per cent hotel occupancy in Manali.
685 Roads BLocked In Himachal Pradesh
Of the 685 roads blocked in Himachal Pradesh due to heavy snowfall, the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti recorded the highest number. 292 roads remain impassable in this region.
Other districts affected include:
-Chamba — 132 roads closed
-Mandi — 126 roads blocked
-Kullu — 79 roads
-Sirmour — 29 roads
-Kinnaur — 20 roads
-Kangra — 4 roads
-Una — 2 roads
-Solan — 1 road
Authorities are carrying out large-scale snow-clearing operations to restore connectivity, particularly in the higher reaches where snowfall has been intense.
Himachal Govt Issues Advisory For Heavy Snowfall
The Himachal Pradesh government has issued a statewide advisory warning of heavy snowfall and rainfall across the state due to an active western disturbance expected to affect the region between January 26 and 28.
Officials announced the advisory on Saturday, urging residents, tourists, and local authorities to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions during the three-day spell of inclement weather.
Thick Snow Blanketed Roads
A large part of the Hindustan-Tibet Road was under a thick blanket of snow, resulting in the suspension of traffic movement beyond Dhalli, 10 km from Shimla. A Government official said the entire Kinnaur district and towns in Shimla district, such as Narkanda, Jubbal, Kotkhai, Kumarsain, Kharapathar, Rohru and Chopal, are cut off due to heavy snow.
More Snow, Rain Expected: Weather Department
The Meteorological Department said a storm system originating from the Mediterranean-Caspian Sea region and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region would remain active, resulting in more snow and rain.