Kelong, December 6:
Rahul Kumar, the Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority, Lahaul and Spiti, has issued an official order declaring that traffic on the Darcha-Sarchu (National Highway-O3) and Darcha-Shinkula (D-S) roads will be completely suspended starting from Saturday, today, December 7, until next summer. No vehicles will be permitted to pass in either direction on these routes.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, the Deputy Commissioner highlighted that severe cold conditions have led to the formation of black ice on the Baralacha Top and Shinkula Top passes, posing significant risks to travelers. As a preventive measure against potential disasters and to avoid the possibility of passengers becoming stranded, traffic restrictions have been enforced on these roads. He also noted that there have been past incidents where travelers got trapped due to sudden snowfall on these mountain passes, and the difficult terrain made rescue operations highly challenging and dangerous for emergency personnel.
The Deputy Commissioner further emphasized that any violation of this order will result in penalties under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which includes provisions for imprisonment of up to one year, fines, or both.
