“It was our 25th anniversary and we came here to celebrate, but it proved to be a dreadful experience,” said a couple from Kolkata. They were grateful to the army personnel, but the extreme weather condition and biting cold had dampened all moods of revelry.
“The snowfall in the region was normal until now, but yesterday it was heavy. We had to stay back and sleep in our vehicles as we could not risk the lives of the tourists,” said Sangay Bhutia, a driver who plies the Nathula and Tsomgo route.
JN Marg Taxi Driver Association president Phurba Sherpa said, “We helped vehicles that were able to pass through the snow-filled road till late into the night as many tourists insisted on returning to Gangtok.” He said he dispatched 12 vehicles to 17th Mile this morning to get the remaining tourists back.
The authorities did not issue vehicle permits today to Tsongmo and Nathula and have decided against vehicular movement along JN Marg till the snow gets cleared.
An official from the met department said, “The area received 2-3 ft of snowfall and the temperature dropped to -3 degrees Celsius. Snowfall may continue in the upper reaches of the capital and rainfall is expected in Gangtok in the next few days. (EOIC)