The severe snowfall in the higher regions of Shimla district has had a significant impact on the bus services operated by the Shimla Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC). The capital city of Shimla experienced a cutoff from the upper areas, primarily due to the heavy snowfall in Kufri. As a result, HRTC buses were unable to operate on several important routes, including Kufri, Nerva, Chaupal, Narkanda, Rohru, and Rampur, after 5:30 am.
Unfortunately, the buses that had been in service earlier in the day became stranded in the snowfall, and efforts were made to retrieve them and bring them back to Shimla. A total of 69 routes within the Shimla division of HRTC faced disruptions on Wednesday, further aggravating the transportation situation. In addition, approximately 50 buses found themselves trapped in the snow-covered areas.
The most heavily affected routes were those managed by the Taradevi and Nerva depots, with a staggering 24 routes experiencing disruptions. In particular, 12 buses from the depot became immobilized due to the intense snowfall in locations such as Fagu, Narkanda, Kharapathar, Khirki, Khamadi, Shyamnagar, Devnagar, and Mandol. The Chaupal to Khirki route remained inaccessible until late evening, causing significant inconvenience to commuters.
Despite these challenges, a glimmer of hope emerged when the Shimla Pahal route was finally reopened at 5:30 pm. To mitigate the disruption caused by the snowfall, alternative routes were identified and utilized to ensure that buses could continue to provide essential transportation services to the people of Shimla.