Munish Sood
MANDI: After being cut off for five days, the Leh-Manali highway has finally reopened for small vehicles via the Rohtang Pass. The restoration of this critical link has brought much-needed relief to thousands of residents and tourists stranded in the Lahaul Valley. Vehicles have now started reaching Manali town through Palchan, Nehru Kund, Shanag and Manali village.
The crisis began earlier this week when sudden flashfloods in Pagal Nallah and Dhundi areas forced the closure of the Atal Tunnel route, the primary all-weather lifeline for Lahaul Valley. With this shutdown, the region was effectively cut off from the rest of Himachal Pradesh and beyond.
Commuters then turned to the alternate Koksar-Rohtang-Manali route, but their hopes were dashed as multiple landslides blocked this stretch as well. This double blow left thousands stranded on both sides of the valley, creating acute hardship for locals and tourists alike.
BRO’s relentless restoration effort
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) swung into action with round-the-clock operations, clearing landslides and stabilising the Rohtang route. After several days of continuous work in challenging terrain, the vital Leh-Manali road was restored via Rohtang Pass.
Currently, vehicles from Palchan are able to move through Nehru Kund and Shanag before entering Manali town, easing the bottleneck that had left the valley isolated. Officials have, however, indicated that the restoration of the Atal Tunnel route will take more time, given the scale of flood damage.
Kullu-Manali road also reopens
In parallel, the Kullu-Manali road via Aleo and Naggar has been reopened for small vehicles. Lahul MLA Anuradha Rana was the first individual to cross her vehicle from here. Yet, traffic movement remains partially restricted near Aleo due to marshy terrain. Public Works Department officials have assured that this stretch will be stabilised quickly, with normal vehicular movement expected to resume soon.
Relief and rehabilitation in full swing
Manali MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur confirmed that relief efforts are being carried out with urgency in all affected areas. Alongside road restoration, work is also underway to normalise drinking water supply. He stressed that all departments are coordinating to ensure that essential services are restored swiftly and that people receive timely relief.
