Shimla residents woke up to mesmerizing views on Friday as the entire town was blanketed with a blanket of snow, but sleet on the roads disrupted vehicular traffic and made commuting difficult for office commuters.

As many as 720 roads, including four national highways, were blocked in Himachal Pradesh due to snow and 2,243 transformers were out of service.

According to data shared by the State Emergency Operations Centre, up to 250 roads were closed in Shimla district, followed by 163 roads in Chamba district, 139 roads in Raul and Spiti districts, 67 roads in Kullu district, Manchurian district 54 roads in Di district and 46 roads in Kinnaur district.

Due to the closure of roads leading to Rohru, Chopal, Narkanda, Khadrala and other places, vehicular traffic towards the upper reaches of Shimla was stopped at many places.

Snowfall and widespread rainfall caused the minimum temperature to drop sharply. Residents in high-altitude tribal areas shivered in the biting cold wave, with the temperature remaining at 14-18 degrees Celsius below freezing.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh told reporters on Friday that it was proactive in moving machinery from low-lying areas to snow-covered areas and clearing roads by spraying calcium chloride.

Calcium chloride is a white crystalline ionic salt composed of calcium and chlorine that melts snow on immediate contact. The process is very economical and costs Rs 500 per kilometer for a single lane.

Snowfall is important for drinking water and irrigation schemes, agriculturists and horticulturists and tourism, but we will try our best to ensure smooth roads, Singh said, adding that Rs 72 crore has been allocated for road repairs on Thursday .

In the last 24 hours, Triund received 75 cm of fresh snow till 8 am, while Narkanda and Shikari Devi were covered under 60 cm of snow blanket, followed by Kamrunag and Chansel with 45 cm each, Shilaroo with 42.6 cm, 35 cm The centimeter weather forecast shows water depth of 30 centimeters in Kothi and Khadrala and 30 centimeters each in Pangi, Jot, Bara Bhangal, Bir-Billing, Kapla, Parashar Lake, Kufri and Khara-Patthar and Kufri.

The state capital Shimla received a depth of 5 centimeters of snowfall and a minimum temperature of -0.6 degrees Celsius, the statement added. According to weather data, the minimum temperature was -13.8 degrees Celsius in Kusumseri, followed by -7.0 degrees Celsius in Kalpa, -6.1 degrees Celsius in Narkanda and Manali, -5.4 degrees Celsius in Sumdo, -5.4 degrees Celsius in Dalhousie The lowest temperature was -3.1 degrees Celsius.

Widespread rains lashed mid and low hills, with Nagrota Suriyan being the wettest district in the state with 57 mm of rainfall, followed by Slapper with 45 mm, Kahu and Ghaghas with 38 mm each, Jogindernagar with 35 mm and Berthin with 32 mm.

Affected by a new round of western disturbance, the local meteorological station issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms and lightning in local areas from February 3 to 4, and it is expected that the state will last until February 6.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)