Heavy snowfall since Monday morning has thrown life out of gear in upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh with vehicular traffic getting blocked on 100 roads including 5 national highways.
The second snowfall in New Year had affected normal life in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti districts and had forced tourists and locals alike to remain indoors.
The snowfall had also resulted in cold wave conditions in the state with maximum and minimum dropping significantly across Himachal.
In Shimla, traffic beyond Kufri on National Highway 22 towards Narkanda, Rampur and Rohru had been blocked while several roads in Kullu, Mandi and Kinnaur districts had been affected due to snowfall.
State Meteorological department said the snowfall is likely to continue in high hills areas of Himachal during next 24 hours while lower regions of the state will continue to receive rainfall.
However, the weather will remain clear on 9-10 January and snowfall and rains will again continue from 11 January.
Deputy Commissioner Shimla Amit Kashyap said Dhalli-Kufri, Kufri-Chail, Shimla-Theog roads have been blocked due to snowfall and snow clearing operations are going on in full swing.
Adequate JCB machinery and PWD employees are working in bone-chilling conditions to resume normal vehicular traffic on main roads and link roads.
Kashyap said Chopal-Shimla and Khadapathar road are also blocked due to snow and HRTC buses are not plying in snowbound upper Shimla areas and hill station Narkanda has recorded 9 inches of snow till yet and Dodra Kwar subdivision is also cut off due to heavy snow.
There was no dearth of essential commodities in the district and remote Dodra Kwar subdivision and electricity and drinking water supply was not disrupted in the district.
Kashyap added there was no need for any panic as the district administration was on high alert to meet any eventuality arising due to inclement weather.
The District Disaster Management Cell had set up a Helpline number 1077 for any emergency and for any other help queries in Shimla, one can call on landline numbers 0177-2800880, 2800881, 28800882, 28800883.