By IANS,
Shimla : Over 150 people, mostly tourists, stranded on the Manali-Keylong National Highway 21 in Himachal Pradesh since Tuesday owing to heavy snowfall started leaving as the highway reopened, police said Friday.
“Most of the tourists who were stranded at various locations of the highway due to snow started leaving to their destinations this (Friday) evening as the highway was reopened for traffic,” Superintendent of Police S.R. Rana told IANS over phone.
The people, including two US nationals, two Malaysians and one NRI family from Britain, were among those stranded at Sissu, Losar and Darcha.
The Rohtang Pass, located at an altitude of 13,050 feet, was also closed for the traffic. It serves as a crucial road link between Manali and Keylong.
“The entire highway, including the Rohtang Pass, has been made motorable,” S.K. Doon, commander of General Reserve Engineering Force’s (GREF) 38 Task Force posted at Manali, said.
The GREF is a wing of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) that looks after the maintenance of the highway.