The official closing of 13,050 feet Rohtang Pass for vehicular traffic from 15 November has been put-off for a short while. The decision of closing of the Rohtang Pass will now be taken after the report of the officials of the district administration and the weather conditions.
The Kullu district administration as for now has decided to allow the vehicular traffic beyond Rohtang Pass to continue.
The closing of the Rohtang Pass renders Lahaul and Spiti cut off from other parts of the country.
During earlier years, no vehicle was allowed to pass beyond Rohtang from November 15, in wake of the safety of the locals and tourists owing to the high altitude pass which receives sudden snow fall in the winters.
The high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Pinjal range of Himalayas around 51 kms from Manali connects Kullu district with the Lahaul and Spiti district.
Ahead of the official closing of the Rohtang pass, some of the residents have been shifted to neighbouring district of Kullu.
Kullu Deputy Commissioner, Yunus said, “The Border Road Organisation has submitted its report stating that it will not be able to maintain the roads these winters that includes clearing of the snow. Hence keeping in mind the disaster management aspects as well, I have directed the Manali Sub-divisional Magistrate, Deputy Superintendent of Police along with the members of the AtalBihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali to jointly visit the area to take stock of the situation.”