The three-day Gandhi Jayanti weekend brought a massive influx of tourists and pilgrims to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, leading to major traffic jams on key routes and at popular destinations, including Shimla, Manali, Mussoorie and the pilgrimage site of Kainchi Dham.
In Himachal, Shimla was hit hard on Friday, with traffic badly affected through the day as tourist vehicles poured in. Jams stretched for hours across the city, and one report put the number of vehicles entering Shimla in a single day at about 30,000. Manali, Kasauli and Dharamshala also saw a sharp rise in vehicles and congestion. Gaurav, a tourist from Phagwara travelling with his family, said he ran into a jam right after entering the state and questioned why better arrangements had not been made for an expected rush.
In Uttarakhand, devotees heading to Kainchi Dham in Nainital district faced hours of congestion on Friday along the stretch from Bhimtal. The worst-hit were travellers moving to and from Almora, Pithoragarh, Ranikhet, Dharchula, Bageshwar and Haldwani. Police were deployed to ease the flow and ran shuttle services from Bhimtal and Bhawali to ferry pilgrims to the shrine. Traders in nearby Garampani and Bhimtal said the jams kept visitors away and hurt business.
Uttarakhand Police had issued a traffic and diversion plan for Kainchi Dham, Bhawali and Bhimtal for the period from October 2 to 4. It restricts the entry of private cabs, taxis and two-wheeler taxis into the Kainchi Dham area through the weekend. Visitors were advised to check parking and shuttle arrangements before setting out.
Tourists also thronged Mussoorie and Rishikesh, where vehicles were stuck for hours and the arrangements made by police and the administration proved inadequate for the crowds.
The surge is a boost for hotels, taxi operators and small traders, but it has again exposed how poorly the narrow hill roads cope with holiday peaks. Tourists and locals have repeatedly called for tighter limits on vehicles, stricter action against roadside parking and better planning at entry points.