Efforts to clear heavy snow along the Lachen–Donkyla–Shiv Mandir stretch continued on Monday, but authorities could not fully restore the route due to bad weather conditions, officials said. A joint operation involving the Indian Army, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) was carried out to remove thick snow deposits and open the road for stranded tourists in Lachen. However, continuous snowfall and harsh weather made the task difficult, forcing teams to halt operations before completion.
Officials said the clearance work will begin again early Tuesday morning, depending on weather conditions.Several tourists remain stranded in Lachen as the route remains unsafe for movement. Authorities are focusing on ensuring their safe evacuation once the road is cleared. District Collector of Mangan, Anant Jain, and Superintendent of Police LB Chettri are closely monitoring the situation. Additional manpower from the DDMA has been deployed to support both road clearance and evacuation work.
Sources said the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police are expected to visit the affected stretch early Tuesday morning to assess the situation on the ground and review progress. Officials added that coordination between the Army, BRO, and local administration is ongoing to ensure that the route is reopened at the earliest, keeping the safety of tourists as the top priority.