Bus service to Keylong valley has resumed after a gap of five months. The Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) on Wednesday resumed its services on Manali-Keylong Road via the Rohtang Pass.
The buses left for Keylong from Kullu via Manali for the first time since bus services were suspended after heavy snowfall in mid-November. Border Road Organisation (BRO) had thrown open the Manali-Keylong highway on April 28 for vehicular traffic after clearing the snow from the road.
The resumption of service is a big relief for the people of lahaul-Spiti, who had been disconnected from the road network to outer world for the five months, and had to rely on the isolated Helicopter service for commuting out of the valley. The bus from Keylong left at 6 AM while the bus bound from Kullu started at 4 in the morning. A senior functionary of HRTC said the service timings have been planned in a way that the buses did not cross each other at narrow points on the highway.
Though the highway is still surrounded by snow piles on both sides, some of which are higher than 18 feet but the road has been cleared completely for the time being. The resumption of vehicular traffic on the road is expected to relieve the farming community in the tribal district particularly the potato and peas growers, who will now be able to send their produce to other States. Though the higher reaches of Rohtang valley have still been getting light to moderate snowfall intermittently but the region of the highway has remained clear of snow and the vehicular traffic movement has continued hassle free. The weatherman has also predicted minor or no snowfall in the valley for next few days.