The ongoing tourist season has brought a huge influx of visitors to Himachal Pradesh, with Shimla witnessing severe traffic congestion as more than 30,000 tourist vehicles entered the state capital on Saturday alone. While hotels in the city are operating at around 85 per cent occupancy, the unprecedented rush of vehicles has led to frequent traffic jams, causing inconvenience to residents and daily commuters.
Most parts of Shimla are facing traffic snarls, with Circular Road remaining clogged for much of the day. The Sanjauli-Dhalli stretch has also been witnessing long queues of vehicles, affecting commuters and local residents alike. Traffic congestion has become a daily challenge in the city as the rising number of vehicles puts immense pressure on roads and parking facilities.
According to Shimla Police, around 12.3 lakh vehicles have been recorded in the capital during the last one-and-a-half months of the tourist season. Data shows that nearly 8.5 lakh vehicles entered the city through the Shoghi, Bilaspur and Kinnaur routes in May, while another 3.8 lakh vehicles have already been recorded in June.
Officials said that besides the high volume of traffic, erratic driving behaviour by some tourists is aggravating the situation. Unnecessary overtaking by jumping queues and haphazard roadside parking are contributing to traffic bottlenecks at several locations.
In view of the increasing pressure, Shimla Police have strengthened traffic management measures. The strength of deployed personnel has been increased from 127 last year to 210 this year. Around 70 personnel from three reserve companies, which were initially deployed during the Summer Festival, have been retained to manage traffic.
To improve monitoring, the city has been divided into five sectors, with a gazetted officer assigned to each sector. About 50 civil and student volunteers are assisting the traffic police at different locations, while 32 traffic bike riders have been deployed for rapid response.
Police have also stationed three cranes across various sectors to quickly remove broken-down vehicles and restore traffic movement. Additional personnel have been deployed at key parking sites to ensure smooth entry and exit of vehicles.
Interceptor vehicles are being used for continuous monitoring and enforcement of traffic rules. Travelers heading towards Kufri, Narkanda, Theog and Kinnaur are being advised to use the Shoghi-Mehli bypass, with around 800 vehicles being diverted through the route every day.
Despite these measures, traffic congestion continues to plague the city. Residents and daily commuters complain that prolonged traffic jams have become a routine affair, with major roads remaining choked during peak hours. The heavy tourist influx, coupled with increasing vehicle numbers and traffic indiscipline, has once again highlighted the need for long-term solutions to Shimla’s growing traffic problem.
