Kolkata tourists still stranded in Himachal hills

SHIMLA - Himachal Pradesh’s picturesque tourist town Kalpa in Kinnaur district Saturday remained cut off from the rest of the country and over 100 tourists from West Bengal were stranded, an official said.

Heavy snowfall in the region blocked the roads leading to the town.

“All the tourists are fine and they are staying in a private hotel Shivalik, where they got reservations till Jan 2,” deputy superintendent of police Pankaj Sharma told IANS over phone from the spot.

He said the tourists were mainly from Kolkata and came on chartered vehicles. They were advised to leave the place well ahead of the snow.

“Despite our warning, they preferred to stay in Kalpa,” he said.

Subdivisional Magistrate Naresh Thakur said it would take around two days to reopen the roads.

“It has stopped snowing and the rescue work has been speeded up,” he added.

Kalpa recorded more than 60 cm of snow in the last 24 hours.

In September last year, tourists from West Bengal remained stranded for five days in the Sangla Valley in Kinnaur district after incessant rainfall that triggered massive landslides.

Most of them were later airlifted by the state-run chopper.