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Jam forces tourists to ditch cars, trek to Manali

MeT predicts fresh snowfall from today, yellow warning issued for state.

4 min readShimlaUpdated: Jan 26, 2026 05:05 AM IST

Jam forces tourists to ditch cars, trek to Manali

Tourists walk along a snow-covered road as vehicles remain stranded amid traffic congestion on the Manali highway for the second consecutive day after heavy snowfall, in Manali on Sunday. (ANI)

Over 800 roads, including three national highways, remained closed for vehicular movement in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday following heavy snowfall even as unprecedented influx of tourists — looking for weekend getaway — led to kilomteres-long traffic bottlenecks, especially on way to Manali. Several tourists parked their vehicles by the roadside and were seek trudging through the snow — many carrying the luggage on their heads.

The meteorological department, meanwhile, predicted that a fresh western disturbance is likely to cause heavy snowfall in the higher reaches of the state from Monday. It issued a yellow warning for the entire state.

Normal life continued to remain disrupted with State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) saying that 835 roads remained blocked by snow. As per SEOC, 282 roads, including NH 3 (Leh-Manali) and NH 505 (Kaza-Gramphu), are blocked in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti; 234 in Shimla; 110 in Mandi; 78 in Chamba; 65, including NH 305 (Sainj-Luhri-Aut) in Kullu; and 41 in Sirmour among others.

Watch | 8-km traffic jams, people stuck in cars overnight as Manali sees tourist surge amid record snowfall

Additionally, around 1,942 transformers were disrupted, including 789 in Shimla, 354 in Sirmour, 284 in Mandi, 277 in Chamba, 174 in Kullu, 27 in Lahaul and Spiti, and 23 in Solan, leaving thousands of households without electricity.

While locals battled with power outage and disrupted water supply, tourists who rushed to the hill state hoping to make the most of the snow during the long weekend found themselves spending a better part of the journey stuck in traffic jam, especially in Kullu district.

Vehicles remain stuck in a traffic jam as heavy snowfall chokes highways and roads, leaving tourists stranded, near Manali.(ANI)

“A 13 km-long traffic jam had formed between Manali and Patlikuhal on the first day of snowfall. Today, the length of the traffic jam is around 8 km,” a police officer said.
Shahnawaz Hussain, who along with wife Eram and their two daughters, boarded a bus for Manali from Delhi, which dropped the family at Patlikuhal, nearly 16 km ahead of Manali, early morning. From there, the family hailed a taxi at 9.30am. “We are yet to reach Manali,” Hussain told The Indian Express late in the evening.

For Kailash Mishra from Lucknow, who was sharing the four-wheel drive taxi with Husaain, the journey began on Friday when he and his family boarded a train from Lucknow to Delhi, followed by the bus to Manali. “I never expected it would be so difficult to reach Manali,” Mishra, who is on his first trip to Himachal, said.

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Under normal conditions, the 16-km stretch from Patlikuhal to Manali takes around 30 minutes. However, due to heavy snowfall, traffic congestion and stranded vehicles, the same stretch took nearly 12 hours on Sunday.

Taxi driver Ashok Kumar, ferrying toursist from Patlikuhal to Manali said he was charging Rs 10,000 per trip.”On normal days, the fare is only Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500,” he added.

Kullu DC Torul S Raveesh said the snowfall has led to an unusually huge influx of tourists. “This is the season’s first snowfall, so it is natural that people want to enjoy it. We have advised tourists to explore alternative destinations like Jibhi, Manikaran and other areas that have also received good snowfall,” she told The Indian Express.

Raveesh identified the use of non-4×4 vehicles and roadside parking as the main reasons for traffic chaos. “Stranded vehicles have compounded the problem,” she added. She, however, ruled out discouraging tourists from visiting. Officials say the situation is same in Bilaspur and Mandi districts which were enroute to Manali.

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Meanwhile, Shimla witnessed relatively smoother tourist movement, though traffic congestion persisted.

Shimla SP Sanjeev Gandhi said tourists were being allowed into the city but restricted from travelling further to higher-altitude destinations.

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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