Congress leader and MLA Kinnaur Jagat Singh Negi said here today that all the roads in tribal belt of Kinnuar were cleared for traffic after uninterrupted heavy snowfall on 17th and 18th January, 2013 and added that as many as 30 snow clearing machines of the various hydel companies and sufficient manpower of Public Works Department, General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) cleared all the roads excluding that of Lipa, Asrang, Hango and from Rakchham to Chitkul because of accumulation of heavy snow. After heavy spell of snowfall on 3rd and 4th February, 2013 all major roads except those of Lipa, Rispa, Leo, Hango and from Rakchham to Chitkul, were cleared within four days.
Capt. J.M. Pathania, Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur said that Heavy snowfall was going on in Kinnaur district from yesterday and till now two and half feet snow had been accumulated on higher reaches. Men and machinery of GREF, Public Works Department and of the hydel companies were still working on clearing the main roads connecting district headquarters, despite continuous snowfall, he added.
He said that clearing operation of national highway was still going on despite of heavy snowfall in the district adding that water supply was regularly monitored however, during the snowfall efforts were on to maintain electric supply at the earliest as transmission lines pass through higher reaches.
On the other hand, Vir Singh Thakur, Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul –Spiti said that about 5 to 6 inches snow had been recorded in Keylong, Udaipur and Gemur and around one and half to two feet snow had been reported at Koksar, the tail end of Rohtang Pass towards the valley. All the main roads including Udaipur to Tandi, Tandi to Koksar and Keylong to Koksar were opened by GREF and Public Works Department earlier, he added. He said that all the helipads were cleared and efforts were being made to clear all the main roads in the valley.
