Weather forces closure of access for tourists to Rohtang

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Tourists will have to wait a bit longer this year to explore the snow-covered 13,058-foot-high Rohtang Pass since the district administration has yet to allow cars beyond the Gulaba barrier due to adverse weather.

On March 10, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) began the snow-clearing work to reopen the Rohtang Pass from Koksar. However, the weather continued to be unfavourable even after mid-April.

Last year, the BRO began clearing snow from the Manali-Rohtang road on April 8 and completed the task on May 3. Tourists were permitted after May 6 by paying the NGT’s necessary charge. On April 15, last year, the Kullu authorities reopened tourist destination Marhi, which is located halfway between Manali and the Rohtang Pass. However, so far this year, tourist vehicles have not been permitted to pass beyond the barrier at Gulaba. Near Gulaba, the snow has already melted.

The tourism industry’s benefactors have stated that efforts should be made to repair Rohtang Pass as soon as possible, as was done before to the tunnel’s inauguration in 2020. They added that previously, the BRO would begin clearing snow to restore the Rohtang Pass from the Manali side in the last week of February and complete the task by the first week of May, but with the opening of the Atal Tunnel, the BRO has prioritised the restoration of the Manali-Leh Highway.

According to the beneficiaries, snow is a big draw for travellers visiting Manali. They further stated that Rohtang is a world-renowned tourism attraction, with visitors coming from far and wide to enjoy winter activities. They said that limiting the number of cars allowed on the Pass has already had a significant impact on the tourism business, since many visitors were unable to visit the Pass. The late restoration of the pass will now have an even greater detrimental impact on visitor arrivals.

According to tourism companies in Manali, due to the delayed restoration of Marhi and Rohtang Pass, visitors are flocking to Lahaul valley to see and play in the snow. They predicted that if the current trend continues, there would be fewer visitors to Rohtang and more to the Lahaul valley.

Anup Ram Thakur, president of the Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal, stated to The Tribune that the tourism department should guarantee that current tourist attractions are conserved and that better infrastructure is given in tourist hotspots to assist tourists. He believes that new tourism destinations should be established around Manali in order to support the region’s economy.

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