Road blocked, people spend night at Rohtang

MANALI: Hundreds of people, including over a hundred tourists, had to spend the Wednesday night in their vehicles between Marhi and Rohtang Pass following a massive landslide blocked the Manali-Leh highway in the evening.
Over 500 vehicles bound for Manali, Lahaul, Spiti and Ladakh got stuck here. A large number of essential supply vehicles, military convoy and tourist vehicles came to a halt after the road blockade.While some returned back, others spent night on the high-altitude road while waiting for opening of the path. Many of them had nothing to eat or drink.
The road finally opened at about 10am on Thursday but many vehicles remain stuck till afternoon.
The area between Gulaba and Rohtang Pass is sinking at many places. The landslides are blocking the highway again and again. The Border Roads Organization (BRO) is feeling helpless because the slides which are uncontrollable. The landslide prone area near Rahni nullah, which had bothered BRO for more than two years, has again become active. The mountain side is sliding down on the highway slowly.
The BRO officials said they have deployed machinery at crucial points and are working day and night. They said the area is witnessing landslides after recent rain and snowfall which have made the mountains extremely wet and unstable.