Thousands of tourists are still stuck in rain-battered Himachal Pradesh, despite evacuation efforts and road reopening works gaining pace. With over 850 roads still blocked, many tourists have extended their stay in accommodations, waiting for the situation to improve. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has described the evacuation of stranded tourists from Chandertal in Lahaul and Spiti as a challenging task.
Good news, however, is that a few tourists from Telangana will be reaching Hyderabad on Thursday. Telangana Bhavan officials in New Delhi have identified and airlifted them to Chandigarh, and then brought them to Delhi by road. These tourists were held up in the Kullu-Manali-Kasol belt since July 6, but could be airlifted to Chandigarh as the rains had stopped. Officials have stated that slowly everything is coming under control.
Around 100 people from Telangana were identified with the help of local authorities in Himachal Pradesh. The local authorities have taken care of their food, accommodation, and medical needs. Since it is not possible to airlift such a large number of people, the Telangana Bhavan officer has asked them to wait until the road network is restored.
In response to distress calls from parents, IT Minister K T Rama Rao has set up a control room in Telangana Bhavan to assist stranded tourists.
