Manali Gridlock: Tourists Stranded in Sub-Zero Cold as 10-Hour Traffic Jam Cripples Kullu
For the second consecutive day on Sunday, thousands of tourists found themselves stranded in the popular hill town of Manali, located in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district. Icy road conditions combined with an unprecedented surge in tourist traffic brought the entire area to a complete standstill, creating a nightmarish scenario for visitors.
15-Kilometer Traffic Crawl in Freezing Temperatures
The exit routes from Manali experienced the worst congestion, with slippery stretches and closely packed vehicles creating traffic jams extending over 10 kilometers. This gridlock stretched all the way to the 15 Mile point near Patlikuhal, a small market town situated lower in the valley where snow had begun to melt.
Despite the distance from Manali to Patlikuhal being roughly 15 kilometers, many travelers reported taking more than 10 hours to cover this short stretch. The situation became so dire that numerous tourists, frustrated by the lack of movement, abandoned their vehicles entirely and began trekking downhill on foot toward Patlikuhal.
Tourists Forced to Walk on Ice in Sub-Zero Conditions
A viral video, allegedly recorded around 2:30 AM on Sunday, captured the extreme conditions as tourists dragged their luggage across icy surfaces, with some slipping and falling during their desperate attempts to escape the gridlock. Social media user @rose_k01 summarized the situation writing, "This is the situation of people who rushed to Manali, ended up stranded."
For hundreds of tourists, the ordeal extended through the entire night. Buses, taxis, and private cars remained virtually stationary as temperatures plunged below freezing. Many travelers, including children, spent Saturday night shivering inside their vehicles without proper heating or shelter from the bitter cold.
Kulwinder Singh from Ferozepur, Punjab, shared his harrowing experience: "It took us 12 hours just to reach Patlikuhal. We spent the night shivering in the car. I have never seen such a nightmarish traffic jam."
Highway Remains Nearly Impassable Despite Snow-Clearing Efforts
Even with snow-clearing operations conducted by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), icy patches and overwhelming traffic volume rendered the two-lane Kullu-Manali highway nearly impassable. While weather conditions remained largely clear throughout Saturday and Sunday, the road infrastructure failed to handle the exceptional tourist influx.
Himanshu Sharma, a tourist from Noida, expressed his frustration: "This is easily the worst jam I've ever seen. I can reach Patlikuhal faster on foot than by car."
Police Implement Restrictions as More Tourists Attempt Entry
As thousands of tourists struggled to leave Manali, thousands more attempted to enter the area, drawn by recent snowfall reports. Police authorities responded by blocking fresh tourist inflow at strategic points including Patlikuhal and Bhuntar, the valley town near Kullu airport.
Manali DSP K D Sharma explained the emergency measures: "We are only allowing 4x4 vehicles beyond Patlikuhal to prioritize evacuation of stranded tourists."
Kullu SP Madan Lal described the situation as unprecedented, noting that approximately 200 police personnel have been deployed round-the-clock to manage the crisis. However, the narrow mountain highway continues to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of vehicles and challenging weather conditions.
More Severe Weather Forecast for Himalayan Region
Additional trouble may be on the horizon for the region. The Meteorological Office in Shimla has forecast another spell of heavy rain and snow expected to begin on the night of January 26 and continue through January 28. A severe cold wave persists across the Himalayan state, with Tabo village in the remote Lahaul-Spiti district recording the state's lowest temperature on Sunday at -10 degrees Celsius. Manali itself dropped to -1.1 degrees Celsius, creating dangerously cold conditions for stranded travelers.
The combination of extreme weather, inadequate infrastructure for peak tourist seasons, and unprecedented visitor numbers has created a perfect storm of challenges for both authorities and tourists in one of India's most popular winter destinations.
