Summary:
MANALI: About 60 Lahaul residents forcibly entered the under-construction Rohtang tunnel from its north portal after breaching security late on Monday, following which the Lahaul administration sealed the tunnel.The residents, who wanted to reach Manali, had been waiting outside the tunnel's north portal since 5am. After walking for about 5km, we felt suffocated and some of us fainted," he added.The Rohtang tunnel project management has made it clear that it is dangerous to enter the under-construction tunnel, but residents are making long queues outside both ends of the tunnel. Rohtang pass, Baralacha pass and Kunzum pass, that connect the valley with the outer world becomes unsafe, pushing residents to take measures to get out of the valley. Lahaul-Spiti deputy commissioner Ashwani Kumar Chawdhary said the north portal has been sealed and a police post set up there to avoid further breaches. Having stood in the cold without food for the whole day, we decided to enter the tunnel on our own..