Himachal Pradesh’s capital Shimla and its nearby tourist destinations were yesterday wrapped in snow, giving them a picturesque look. Likewise, Manali and its uphill Solang ski slopes and Kalpa, 250km from here, saw snowfall.
Towns in upper Shimla district were cut off with snow piled up on roads, an official said.
This was the season’s second significant snowfall that froze the “Queen of Hills”, as Shimla was called by the erstwhile British rulers, and Manali.
As news of the snowfall spread, tourists started arriving here and in nearby Kufri, Mashobra and Narkanda.
Hills overlooking Manali like Gulaba, Solang and Kothi have been experiencing snow since early Monday, a Met department official said.
Shimla, which saw intermittent snow almost throughout the day, recorded a minimum temperature of 1.1 degrees Celsius while the maximum stayed at 6.4 degrees. Manali saw a low of 0.2 degree.
Jammu and Kashmir also received heavy snowfall.
Heavy snowfall in Banihal sector of Jammu-Srinagar Highway closed the road.
People throughout the Kashmir Valley greeted the snowfall that will replenish the perennial water reservoirs in the mountains. These reservoirs sustain various rivers, streams, springs and lakes during the summer months.
Authorities have set up helpline numbers for people to approach in case of emergencies in different districts of the valley.
People walk on a snow-covered road after fresh snowfall on the outskirts of the hill town Shimla in Himachal Pradesh yesterday.
