Planning A Trip to Manali This Republic Day Weekend? Read This Before You Travel Amid Power Cuts And 15 Km Jam

Heavy snowfall sweeping across the western Himalayas has paralysed life in large parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Kashmir, with Manali facing severe disruption due to a tourist rush during the long Republic Day weekend.

From long traffic snarls and stranded visitors to power cuts and blocked highways, the last two days have tested both residents and authorities.

While the snowfall brought relief from a prolonged dry spell, it also turned popular hill stations into choke points, leaving thousands struggling to cope with the sudden breakdown of basic services.

Traffic chaos leaves tourists stranded in Manali

Snow-covered and slippery roads around Manali led to traffic jams stretching up to 15 km, trapping hundreds of vehicles for hours. More than 600 tourists were left stranded, with several spending the night inside their cars as movement came to a complete halt.

"We remained stuck in the traffic jam for more than three hours and then decided to walk our way to Manali, covering nearly 7 km," said Akshay, a tourist from Delhi. Another visitor, Trisha, said, "We had to spend the night in our vehicle and survived on maggi as we were carrying our own portable cylinder."

The situation worsened as fresh arrivals continued to pour in, unaware of the road conditions ahead.

Taxi overcharging adds to tourist woes

With public transport services suspended across several routes, tourists alleged that private taxi operators charged exorbitant fares, taking advantage of the emergency.

"Taxi owners are asking ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 for a 20-km journey between Manali and Patlikuhal," said Lakshit, another tourist from Delhi.

Authorities said complaints were being noted, but access issues and weather conditions have made enforcement difficult.

Hundreds of roads blocked, snow clearance in progress

The State Disaster Management Authority said 683 roads were blocked across Himachal Pradesh, including National Highways NH-03 and NH-505. Several key routes in Lahaul and Spiti, such as Koksar-Rohtang Pass, Darcha-Sarchu and Gramphu-Batal, remained shut. The Manali-Lahaul route via the Atal Tunnel was also closed.

Public Works Department minister Vikramaditya Singh said restoration work was underway despite challenging conditions. "JCBs and poclain machines are continuously engaged in clearing roads in hilly areas. Higher reaches have received 2.5 to 3 feet of snow, while high-altitude areas have recorded up to 4 feet, making road clearance time-consuming," he said.

Power, water cuts and transport disruptions deepen crisis

Snowfall severely impacted essential services, with 5,775 distribution transformers affected and 126 water supply schemes disrupted. Large parts of Shimla district remained without electricity for over 30 hours, and officials warned that power restoration in some rural areas could take five to six days.

Bus services on more than 1,200 routes were suspended, leaving many villages cut off and adding pressure on already stretched emergency services.

The worst-affected districts include Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Chamba, Kullu and Sirmaur, with Lahaul-Spiti alone reporting 290 blocked roads.

Tourism surge continues despite disruptions

Even as infrastructure struggled, tourist arrivals surged following the snowfall. Hotel occupancy in Shimla is expected to touch 70 to 80 percent. "Footfall has increased significantly, but prolonged power outages remain a concern. We are spending from our pockets to ensure uninterrupted power supply for tourists," said Mohinder Seth, president of the Shimla Hotels and Tourism Stakeholders' Association. In Manali, hoteliers expect occupancy levels to rise once road connectivity improves.

Rescue efforts ongoing, fresh advisory issued

Rescue operations continued across the region. In Himachal Pradesh, twelve tourists stranded near Raghupur Fort in Kullu were rescued by locals and police. In Uttarakhand, nearly 200 people travelling in 50 vehicles were rescued from snowbound sections of the Yamunotri highway, while over 30 people were evacuated overnight in Nainital and Tehri Garhwal.

Kashmir also saw major rescue efforts, with more than 1,600 tourists evacuated from Gulmarg and Tangmarg after heavy snowfall. Gulmarg recorded over 50 cm of fresh snow, while higher reaches received up to four feet.

With another spell of rain and snowfall forecast between January 26 and 28, the Himachal Pradesh government has issued a fresh advisory, asking district administrations to keep emergency operation centres functional round the clock and ensure readiness of snow clearance machinery and response teams. Residents and tourists have been urged to avoid non-essential travel and remain alert in the coming days.