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Shimla & Manali Witness Holiday Rush; Atal Tunnel, Highways Get Jam Packed With Vehicles

It’s wintertime, and many tourists have flocked to the famous hill stations, Manali and Shimla leading to huge traffic congestions.

by Vaishalee Kalvankar
Shimla & Manali Witness Holiday Rush; Atal Tunnel, Highways Get Jam Packed With Vehicles

It’s wintertime, and many tourists have flocked to the famous hill stations, Manali and Shimla. Travellers’ tolerance is being put to the test as major traffic bottlenecks are resulting from the holiday rush in two of Himachal Pradesh’s most renowned tourist sites. The major routes, including the Atal Tunnel and the highways, are currently jam-packed with vehicles. 

Shimla & Manali Witness Holiday Rush

A major route for getting to Manali, the National Highway that leads to the Atal Tunnel, is now congested. There have been reports of congestion between Manali and Vashisth Chowk, Potato Ground to Rangadi, and Solang Nala to Atal Tunnel, which has resulted in these locations essentially becoming bumper-to-bumper car parks. 

The well-known Kasol and Jari regions are dealing with comparable difficulties. The celebrations don’t even stop on the way to Shimla. Travelers eager to reach their winter wonderland destinations are further frustrated by traffic congestion on the roadway that connects Shoghi with the state capital.

In the last few days, Shimla has witnessed the influx of nearly 55,000 automobiles in a festive rush. Around 55,000 vehicles have travelled through the Atal Tunnel in Rohtang, which connects Kullu, Lahaul, and Spiti. 

In the last three days, this amount of traffic has significantly increased. Numerous videos that are making the rounds on social media show lengthy lines of cars on the roads. The Director General of Police in Shimla, Sanjay Kundu, has asked visitors to put safety first and abide by traffic laws. 

 Also Read: Mumbai: Dadar’s Platform 10/11 Soon To Be Revamped To Ease Commuter Congestion On Existing Platform

Number Of Tourists To Increase By Year End

Over a lakh cars are predicted to enter Shimla for the New Year’s celebrations. This indicates that the tourist inflow will only increase.

Approximately 60,000 cars are presently parked along the city’s roadsides, according to police data. Weekday traffic into Shimla averages 12,000 cars, but on weekends—especially during the busiest travel season—it soars to nearly 26,000.

The Rohtang and Sissu areas are teeming with tourists following Saturday’s snowfall. Given that the weather is predicted to remain dry through December 28, more tourists are anticipated in Manali in the coming days.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu praised the police and local government for “efficiently managing” the large influx of tourists. According to Gajender Thakur, President of the Federation of Himachal Hotels and Restaurant Associations (FOHHRA), the occupancy rate is approximately 90%, and the Manali Carnival, which takes place from January 1 to 6, will highlight the local cuisine and culture and increase the number of tourists arriving at the end of the year.

Also Read: Serving Sandesh, Mishti Doi &Authentic Bengali Dishes Since 1885, Kolkata’s BMRM Sweet Shop Is An Emotion

What are your views?

Cover Image Courtesy: @vaibhavbrijwani/x(formerly Twitter) and Canva

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First Published: December 26, 2023 1:18 PM