Tourists Face Major Traffic Woes in Himachal Pradesh Amid Holiday Rush
Traffic Chaos in Himachal's Tourist Hotspots
Munish Sood
MANDI/PARWANOO: With the onset of summer and school vacations, a surge of tourists has flocked to the cooler regions of Himachal Pradesh. However, their weekend escape turned into a frustrating ordeal on Saturday as thousands were caught in extensive traffic jams at various entry points in Parwanoo, Solan district, and along popular routes in Shimla and Kullu.
A particularly severe congestion was reported at the Parwanoo barrier, which leads to Shimla and the Bhuntar-Manikaran road. Vehicles were at a standstill for over three hours, creating queues that extended three to four kilometers. This situation left both tourists and local residents feeling exasperated and stranded.
Daljeet Singh from Ludhiana, traveling with five family members, expressed his frustration: “We have been stuck here for more than four hours, and there’s no sign of movement. There are no police officers to help manage the situation,” he shared from Kullu.
Other travelers, including Kamarth Shah from Pune, Sheetal Dass from Meerut, Neha Khullar from Dehradun, and Priyam Sharma from Delhi, echoed similar sentiments, voicing their disappointment over the lack of basic amenities and crowd control in the area.
They highlighted that the narrow roads and potholes are causing significant bottlenecks, especially when vehicles from opposing directions attempt to pass. The absence of traffic regulation and police presence has exacerbated the chaos.
The local administrations in Solan and Kullu are facing severe backlash for their lack of preparedness for the expected influx of tourists during weekends. Despite being aware that destinations like Shimla, Chail, Kufri, Parvati Valley, Jibhi, Banjar, Tirthan Valley, Manikaran, and Manali attract large crowds this time of year, there has been no effective traffic management or police presence.
Panki Sood, a hotelier from Tirthan Valley, commented, “Every year, we urge the administration to enhance police presence during peak tourist seasons, but nothing changes. Tourists leave frustrated, which impacts our business and tarnishes Himachal's reputation.”
Another hotel owner, Rajat, criticized the government for its inaction, stating, “The roads in this area have been in terrible condition for years. If the Chief Minister traveled by road instead of by helicopter, perhaps he would grasp the severity of the issue.”
Not only the Bhuntar-Manikaran route but also areas like Jibhi, Banjar, and Tirthan are experiencing similar traffic issues, yet the administration remains unresponsive.
Rajendra Prakash, president of the Sojha Tourism Association, noted that the number of tourists visiting the region has doubled compared to the previous weekend. “Advance bookings are pouring in for the entire month of June, but if this is how the administration manages tourism, we fear many may cancel their plans,” he cautioned.
Despite the surge in tourist arrivals this month, the lack of infrastructure and preparedness threatens to tarnish Kullu’s image from a serene getaway to a chaotic environment.