HighLights
  1. Extended Gandhi Jayanti weekend led to massive tourist influx in hills.
  2. Manali, Mussoorie, Char Dham routes experienced severe traffic congestion.
  3. Kedarnath, Kainchi Dham pilgrimage sites saw huge devotee crowds.

Traffic chaos gripped several popular destinations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand as a large number of tourists and pilgrims headed to the hills during the extended Gandhi Jayanti weekend.

From Manali and Shimla to Mussoorie, Nainital and the Char Dham routes, the sudden increase in vehicles and visitors resulted in long queues and slow-moving traffic at several stretches.

ALSO READ: Himachal HC's Landmark Ruling On Citizenship: 'Anyone Born In India Between 1950 And 1987 Is An Indian Citizen'

Himachal Pradesh Sees Heavy Tourist Rush

Manali was among the destinations witnessing a major influx of visitors. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed heavy traffic in the tourist town.

The Kalka-Shimla highway also saw vehicles stuck for several kilometres. According to India Today, traffic moved at a slow pace for hours, with the usual three-and-a-half to four-hour journey taking considerably longer.

Mussoorie Roads Packed With Vehicles

Mussoorie also saw a heavy rush of traffic as tourists from Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab headed to the hill station.

Queues were also seen on the Mussoorie-Dehradun Road, especially around the Library Bazaar and towards Kempty Fall. The Mussoorie hotels were about 90 per cent full amid the rush of visitors.

Uttarakhand Pilgrimage Routes Witness Surge

The rush was not limited to tourist destinations. Several pilgrimage centres in Uttarakhand also saw a sharp increase in visitors.

A traffic jam stretching around seven kilometres was reported between Joshimath and Marwari on the route towards Badrinath Dham. Heavy congestion was also reported on roads leading to Hemkund Sahib.

At Kainchi Dham in Nainital, large crowds of tourists and devotees were seen during the weekend. Videos shared on social media showed the influx of visitors at the shrine associated with Neem Karoli Baba.

The recent release of the film 'Hanuman Ansh' has also drawn attention to the spiritual site. Traffic congestion was additionally reported on the Bhimtal-Haldwani road through videos shared online.

Kedarnath Sees Rise In Pilgrims

Rudraprayag Police reported a significant increase in the number of pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath Dham. Visuals shared by the police showed devotees standing in queues and waiting to use the shuttle service.

“This morning, devotees are queuing up to have darshan of Baba Kedar at Kedarnath Dham…Due to the weekend, the continuous arrival of pilgrims on the Char Dham Yatra continues. All devotees are requested to have darshan in queues and follow the guidelines issued by the administration/police,” its latest statement on X read.

ALSO READ: Heading To Kainchi Dham, Nainital? Check Traffic Diversions, Parking Details

However, the situation on the Gangotri and Yamunotri routes remained normal. Uttarkashi Police said the pilgrimage was proceeding smoothly, with the routes open and traffic moving without disruption.

Why Are The Hills So Crowded?

The rush came amid the three-day break created by the October 2 government holiday, followed by Saturday and Sunday. The extended weekend prompted a large number of travellers to head towards popular hill stations and pilgrimage destinations.

Parts of Delhi also witnessed increased traffic ahead of the holiday, with Mandi House, Kashmere Gate, Akshardham and Pragati Maidan among the areas reporting congestion.


Also In News