Delhi-Leh bus service via Manali restarts

The arduous 1,050 km bus journey linking Delhi to Leh via Manali restarted on Thursday after remaining closed for over eight months due to snowfall, an official said.

However, the deluxe bus service, run by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) between Manali and Leh town, will restart on July 1.

The Delhi-Leh bus route, which includes a night's stay at Keylong -- the district headquarters in Lahaul-Spiti, will take two days to cover the journey.

"After stopping overnight at Keylong, it will reach Leh the next evening," a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) official told IANS.

The HRTC will now run a daily bus service on this route via tourist resort Manali and it is a special attraction for the tourists.

"Seeing the advance booking rush, the response of tourists seems quite good. A passenger can even get online advance booking too," an official said.

The Delhi-Leh bus service via Manali normally operates for four months as the 475 km Manali-Leh highway remains shut rest of the year due to snowfall.

The bus crosses four high mountain passes in the cold deserts of Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir -- Rohtang Pass (13,050 feet), Baralacha Pass (16,020 feet), Lachungla Pass (16,620 feet) and Tanglangla Pass (17,480 feet).