A massive tourist surge during the long weekend has brought major hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to a standstill, with severe traffic jams and overcrowded streets reported across Shimla, Manali, Nainital and Rishikesh.
The rush was driven by the Gandhi Jayanti holiday on October 2 followed by Saturday and Sunday, prompting travellers from Delhi-NCR, Punjab and Haryana to head for the hills in large numbers.
Shimla alone sees 34,000 vehicles in a day
Shimla alone witnessed nearly 34,000 vehicles entering the city within 24 hours, with around 70 per cent hotel occupancy reported and packed scenes at the Ridge and Mall Road. In Manali, routes towards Rohtang Pass have been choked with vehicles, causing long delays.
Reports indicate that nearly 2.5 lakh tourists reached Shimla and Manali in just two days, with about 40,000 vehicles recorded over the weekend.
Uttarakhand faces similar strain
Uttarakhand is facing a similar situation, especially on the Kainchi Dham route in Nainital, where hours-long traffic jams have left tourists stranded. In Rishikesh, travel time on routes that usually take an hour has stretched to 5-6 hours because of the heavy influx.
The overwhelming rush has affected not only traffic flow but also pedestrian movement, with crowded streets making it difficult for people to move freely. Authorities have urged visitors to follow traffic rules and remain patient as local systems struggle to cope with the unprecedented tourist load.
Sources:
ABP News: Long weekend rush triggers massive traffic jams in hill stations
The rush was driven by the Gandhi Jayanti holiday on October 2 followed by Saturday and Sunday, prompting travellers from Delhi-NCR, Punjab and Haryana to head for the hills in large numbers.
Shimla alone sees 34,000 vehicles in a day
Shimla alone witnessed nearly 34,000 vehicles entering the city within 24 hours, with around 70 per cent hotel occupancy reported and packed scenes at the Ridge and Mall Road. In Manali, routes towards Rohtang Pass have been choked with vehicles, causing long delays.
Reports indicate that nearly 2.5 lakh tourists reached Shimla and Manali in just two days, with about 40,000 vehicles recorded over the weekend.
Uttarakhand faces similar strain
Uttarakhand is facing a similar situation, especially on the Kainchi Dham route in Nainital, where hours-long traffic jams have left tourists stranded. In Rishikesh, travel time on routes that usually take an hour has stretched to 5-6 hours because of the heavy influx.
The overwhelming rush has affected not only traffic flow but also pedestrian movement, with crowded streets making it difficult for people to move freely. Authorities have urged visitors to follow traffic rules and remain patient as local systems struggle to cope with the unprecedented tourist load.
Sources:
ABP News: Long weekend rush triggers massive traffic jams in hill stations
