Snowfall: Five tourists from Rishikesh found themselves stuck in Gamsali for five days because of heavy snowfall while exploring the Niti Valley. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) arranged for their accommodation and meals during this time. The snow made it impossible for vehicles to operate on the roads, so they managed to travel about three kilometers ahead to a place called Burans with a snow-clearing machine from the Border Roads Organization (BRO). After that, they stopped in Malari. They are expected to leave for their destination only on Thursday. News of their predicament went viral on social media after a video surfaced.
The group had arrived in the Niti Valley on December 27 in their car, but their vehicle got stuck in the snow just three kilometers past Malari in Gamsali. In a video that circulated online, one of the tourists, Ashish, explained that they had come on December 27 and got trapped due to the snowfall. When they contacted the authorities, they were informed that the road would be cleared once the snowfall stopped. By December 29, the weather had cleared up. When they called the emergency number 112, they were told that work to open the road had begun. The ITBP had provided them shelter at their camp, while their vehicle remained stuck two kilometers away. The video was recorded on December 31 by a local woman who shared it on social media. The stranded tourists included Ashish, Rahul, Suraj, Raghav, and one other person. On the evening of January 1, Suraj Joshi, one of the stranded tourists, mentioned that they had made it about three kilometers to Burans with the snow-clearing machine before stopping at the ITBP camp in Malari. They will only be able to leave for their destination on Thursday. Jyotirmath police station chief Rakesh Bhatt confirmed that all the tourists are safe. Meanwhile, BRO officials stated that while the snow has been cleared from the road, only vehicles with tire chains can currently navigate it. It will take some time before the road is fully open. District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari assured that the tourists are safe and will be rescued soon. He also reminded tourists to inform the authorities before venturing into the valley and to pay attention to the advisories issued for high-altitude areas.
