Darcha-Shinku La-Padum road thrown open, 45 stranded tourists evacuated

In a major relief to travellers and locals, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) today restored traffic movement on the Darcha-Shinku La-Padum road. The road connects Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul valley to the remote Zanskar valley in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The road, which had been blocked due to heavy snowfall on the Shinku La, had left scores of tourists stranded for days.

The disruption in connectivity had caused significant distress, especially for around 45 tourists who were left stranded on the Zanskar side. With dropping temperatures and limited access to amenities, the situation had had started to become grim. Yesterday, the stranded tourists appealed to the BRO and the local administration in Padum through video messages on social media for urgent intervention and evacuation.

Responding swiftly, BRO deployed its teams and equipment at the site. Braving harsh weather and treacherous terrain and working tirelessly through the night and early morning, the BRO successfully cleared snow and reopened the crucial high-altitude pass for traffic.

All 45 stranded tourists were safely evacuated towards Manali. Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul and Spiti Rahul Kumar said, “All stranded tourists have been evacuated from the Zanskar region and are being transported towards their destinations. We are grateful to the BRO for its prompt and efficient action in clearing the route of snow under extremely difficult conditions.”

The Darcha-Shinku La-Padum road is a critical route not only for local inhabitants but also for tourists visiting the scenic valleys of Lahaul and Zanskar. Its reopening is expected to ease travel and supply movement in the region.

Himachal Tribune