Rescue posts consisting of medical staff, rescue experts, police and wireless operators will monitor the movement of pedestrians across Rohtang pass from today. As the risk of very heavy snowfall has increased with a regular dip in temperature and traffic on Manali-Rohtang-Keylong road may come to a halt anytime, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS), Manali, has set up its two rescue posts in either side of Rohtang on Friday which are functional from Saturday. Saying that it is advised to everybody not to cross Rohtang without getting registered in both the posts at Marhi (Kullu) and Koksar (Lahaul) before and after crossing the pass, ABVIMAS director Randhir Singh Salhuria said that purpose of setting up the posts is to monitor movement of pedestrians who cross Rohtang pass to go to Kullu or Lahaul valley. “Each post will consist of 10 members,” he said. Earlier, Rohtang used to declare officially closed for vehicular traffic on November 15, but the pass was not declared closed officially so far. Lahaul-Spiti deputy commissioner Beer Singh Thakur said administration will not declare the pass officially closed until Border Road Organization does so. “If weather turns hostile and passing through the pass will be unsafe, we will issue a public advisory not to go towards Rohtang pass. However, crossing pass is necessity of local people and we shall keep a watch over the weather conditions,” he said. Gopal Sharma, regional manager of Himachal Road Transport Corporation, said one bus will be plying the Kullu-Keylong road until heavy snowfall blocks the highway. “We have planned to run two buses – one from Kullu and one from Keylong – every morning which will transfer their passengers at Rohtang pass. This is to ensure the safety of passengers even if sudden snowfall occurs.” (with
Rescue posts consisting of medical staff, rescue experts, police and wireless operators will monitor the movement of pedestrians across Rohtang pass from today. As the risk of very heavy snowfall has increased with a regular dip in temperature and traffic on Manali-Rohtang-Keylong road may come to a halt anytime, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering
