Shimla, Jan 28: The recent spell of unexpected and extremely heavy snowfall and rain across Himachal Pradesh, while bringing much-needed relief to farmers and orchard owners, turned into a nightmare for thousands of tourists and pilgrims travelling to hill destinations and religious shrines.
With snow-clearance work progressing at a snail’s pace due to limited resources, the crisis severely tested the resolve, vigilance, and physical endurance of field-level officials, many of whom rose to the occasion with extraordinary dedication.
Several stranded tourists have been uploading videos on social media, showing how they took refuge in unnamed shelters such as old forts, temples, shrines, and abandoned buildings, often without food, electricity, or warm clothing.
Amid these distressing scenes, stories of human courage and administrative compassion have emerged as beacons of hope.
One such remarkable rescue operation took place on the Karsog–Sundernagar road in Upper Himachal. On the morning of January 23, nearly 30 Buddhist pilgrims from Kinnaur and Rampur were travelling to Rewalsar when their vehicle was stranded at a checkpoint about 10 kilometres ahead of Nihri due to heavy snowfall.
Snow accumulation of nearly three feet left the passengers exposed to freezing temperatures, with no shelter, food, or adequate winter clothing.
Upon receiving information, Revenue Officer (Kanungo) Ganga Ram, posted at Nihri, was immediately dispatched by the administration. Battling harsh weather conditions, he walked nearly 10 kilometres through deep snow to reach the stranded pilgrims.
With the help of local villagers, he first arranged temporary shelter for them at the Public Works Department rest house and in nearby homes. By the evening of January 25, proper arrangements for food and lodging were also ensured.
Meanwhile, the Sub-Divisional Officer and Junior Engineer of the Public Works Department worked relentlessly to clear the blocked road using a JCB machine. After about 2 days of continuous effort, the road was restored, and the Karsog–Sundernagar route reopened to general traffic.
The rescued pilgrims expressed heartfelt gratitude, crediting the timely intervention and human compassion of the field officer for saving their lives. Ganga Ram, however, maintained that he was only carrying out his duty as per the administration’s directions.
Executive Tehsildar of Nihri, Tek Chand, confirmed that along with the pilgrims, other stranded vehicle drivers were also safely sent on their way by the evening of January 25. The incident stands as a powerful reminder that even amid natural calamities and limited resources, human resolve and a strong sense of duty can make all the difference.
It is worthwhile to mention that most affected areas owing to heavy snowfall are Bharmour, where two teenagers died of hypothermia after they were trapped in a snow blizzard while they were shooting in the snowfall with their mobile phone, and were traced after four days. The body of another youth has been recovered from the Rohru subdivision. Peculiar things about these cold or hypothermia, high altitude sickness deaths in Himachal Pradesh are that generally those belonging to well do family succumbed in large numbers.