Fresh orders issued by Kullu District Magistrate Anurag Chander Sharma permit tourist vehicles to travel up to three curves ahead of Rahni Nala at 46.35 kilometre on the 50-km-long Manali-Rohtang road.
The revised orders were issued following a joint inspection conducted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Manali, along with officials of the police department and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Authorities found the stretch safe for vehicular movement and subsequently shifted the temporary police barrier from Gulaba to the newly designated point. The road had earlier been opened for traffic up to Marhi on May 4. Last year too, the Rohtang road was opened beyond Rahni Nala in mid-May, while Rohtang Pass was officially reopened for tourist traffic on May 24.
The reopening of the route has led to a sharp rise in tourist arrivals in Manali. Snow-covered mountains, pleasant weather and towering walls of snow along the roadside have emerged as major attractions for visitors from across the country. Long queues of vehicles, crowded viewpoints and bustling tourism activity have brought life back to the region after the winter lean season.