8 km-long traffic jam, 100% hotel occupancy, 685 roads shut: Manali nightmare amid snowfall, tourist influx

Long traffic jams paralysed Manali and other popular hill destinations in Himachal Pradesh as the region experienced its first snowfall after nearly three months. An influx of tourists drawn by the winter weather and snowfall caused hours-long traffic standstills, leaving families stranded in their vehicles in sub-zero temperatures.

Multiple media reports indicated that the long weekend, combined with the season’s first snowfall, led to an unexpected surge of tourists, worsening the disruption on key routes. Mountain roads in Manali and neighbouring Kullu district saw vehicles jammed for up to 8 kilometres, with hotel occupancy nearly 100 per cent.

The severe weather affected road connectivity across the state, with heavy snowfall and rain making several routes impassable. According to NDTV, 685 roads remained blocked across Himachal Pradesh. The most impacted area was Lahaul and Spiti district, where 292 roads were shut, followed by 132 in Chamba, 126 in Mandi, and 79 in Kullu.

Travel beyond Dhalli, about 10 kilometres from Shimla, was suspended after the Hindustan-Tibet Road was covered in thick snow, making movement hazardous. Several towns in Shimla district, including Narkanda, Jubbal, Kotkhai, Kumarsain, Kharapathar, Rohru, and Chopal, were isolated due to continuous snowfall, officials said.

The Himachal Pradesh government placed the state on high alert as an active western disturbance moved through the region, causing ongoing heavy snowfall and rain. A statewide advisory warned of intense weather from January 26 to 28, with the Meteorological Department attributing the conditions to a system from the Mediterranean-Caspian Sea.

Hotel rooms in Manali reached full capacity, and some visitors relocated to Kullu due to the rush. The entire Kinnaur district remained cut off. The yellow warning for dense fog and a cold wave was extended to Kangra, Mandi, Solan, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, and Sirmour for Sunday.

Officials urged travellers to avoid unnecessary journeys and to follow advisories while the western disturbance remained active.