Shimla: The long weekend brought a massive influx of tourists to Himachal Pradesh on Friday, but the surge in tourist vehicles also brought traffic chaos to Shimla and several other destinations across the state. Long queues were reported on almost all major roads in the state capital, with motorists taking hours to cover distances of just a few kilometres.
In Shimla, traffic remained severely affected throughout the day. Roads connecting Chhota Shimla, Sanjauli, Lakkar Bazaar and Bhattakufar witnessed prolonged congestion. The Circular Road was particularly affected, with vehicles moving at a snail’s pace and motorists facing considerable delays.
The situation was aggravated by the large number of tourist vehicles entering the city for the long weekend. Vehicles from neighbouring states began arriving in large numbers, putting additional pressure on Shimla’s already congested road network.
However, the heavy tourist inflow was not the only reason for the traffic mess. Haphazard and illegal parking along roads further narrowed the carriageways and made it difficult for vehicles to pass. The problem became particularly serious when large tourist buses entered congested stretches.
Even the Shimla bypass, which is generally used to avoid traffic within the city, witnessed difficulties in the movement of large vehicles. Wayward parking along roads left insufficient space for buses and other heavy vehicles to negotiate turns and pass through narrow stretches.
Questions have also been raised over traffic management in the city. Despite the visible presence of illegally parked vehicles along several important roads, motorists complained that such vehicles were not removed promptly. The failure to clear road space compounded the congestion and resulted in traffic jams spreading across adjoining stretches.
The traffic chaos was not limited to Shimla. Several other tourist destinations, including Manali, Kasauli and Dharamshala, also witnessed a sharp rise in tourist vehicles and traffic congestion as visitors poured into Himachal Pradesh for the long weekend.
At Parwanoo, the gateway to Himachal Pradesh, traffic started building up early Friday morning. A queue extending nearly two kilometres developed near the toll plaza and the congestion continued until around 4 pm, causing considerable inconvenience to tourists and local commuters.
Despite having five entry lanes at the Parwanoo toll plaza, the arrangements appeared inadequate to handle the sudden surge in traffic. Long queues forced motorists to remain on the road for extended periods. Prolonged idling also resulted in some vehicles overheating, with drivers forced to pull over to the roadside.
Police personnel were deployed to regulate traffic and streamline the movement of vehicles, but the sheer volume of traffic made the situation difficult to control.
Tourists stuck in the congestion expressed frustration over the arrangements. Gaurav, a tourist from Phagwara, said he had travelled to Himachal Pradesh with his family for a holiday but encountered a traffic jam immediately after entering the state. He questioned why adequate arrangements had not been made despite the expected increase in tourist arrivals during the long weekend.
The heavy tourist rush, however, has brought some relief to the tourism industry, which has witnessed a rise in occupancy after a relatively prolonged lull. Hotel occupancy in Shimla has reached around 70 per cent and is expected to rise further over the weekend.
While the tourist influx is welcome for Himachal’s economy, Friday’s traffic chaos has once again highlighted the need for better traffic management, stricter action against roadside parking and advance arrangements at major entry points and tourist destinations during long weekends and peak tourist periods.
