SHIMLA:
Snowfall in Shimla has brought the long wait for white flakes to an end. Not only the tourists and those associated with tourism industry were waiting for it but the apple growers too were looking up the sky to see a better crop this summer. After a brief spell on Wednesday night, fresh snow started on Thursday afternoon. Snowfall also started in Shimla's surrounding areas, including
Kufri and
Naldehra. Tourists, who had come to Shimla, were delighted to find white flakes covering the tourist town of Kufri during the morning hours. In the afternoon, Shimla was also lashed by snow. "Shimla cannot be imagined without snow during winters. Snow gives a majestic look to the town," Atul Gautam, a hotelier from Shimla said. He added that after disappointing tourists during
Christmas and New Year, Shimla has finally received winter's first snow which would bring more tourists to the town. Ravinder Chauhan, an apple grower, said, "We had been waiting for snowfall. Now trees would get required minimum chilling hours for better production this season."
Delayed snowfall has already hit the tourism sector hard as majority of tourists this year headed for Kashmir. But the fresh spell of snow has brought some hope to the tourism industry as it can expect more rush of tourist to Shimla and its adjoining areas.
A hotelier from Kufri said this winter Shimla has witnessed less number of tourists. "Majority have headed either for Kashmir or Manali," he added.
Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh is going to reel under severe cold conditions in the coming days as the weather department has predicted overcast sky till January 9 during which the state would receive rain, thundershowers and snow in many places.
Shimla on Thursday had maximum temperature of 10.2 degrees Celsius, which was 2.7 degrees below normal temperature, while Manali had a maximum temperature of 5 degrees Celsius, which was 5 degrees below normal.
