(Tribune)
Heavy snowfall in Shimla and Kufri cut off the upper areas beyond Dhalli today. As many as 120 roads, including four national highways, are blocked.
A maximum of 72 roads are closed in Shimla zone, 37 in Kangra and seven in Mandi, two national highways each are closed in Shimla and Shahpur. As many as 132 JCBs, dozers and tippers have been pressed into service. “Around 63 roads are expected to be opened by tonight,” sources in the PWD said. Loss to public property has gone up to Rs 147.65 crore. As many as 159 routes of the HRTC have been hit and 30 buses are stranded en route.
Kufri received 20 cm of snow, followed by Kothi 15 cm, Kalpa 11 cm, Shimla and Dalhousie 8 cm each, Kharapathar 7.6 cm, Manali 3 cm and Gondala, and Pooh 2 cm each, while widespread rain lashed the middle and lower hills. Solan was the wettest, followed by Kasauli and Dharamsala.
