Heavy traffic, congestion choke roads as tourists swamp Himachal hills for Christmas

Shimla, Dec 25
Heavy traffic, along with the influx of a huge number of tourists, has left the hills in North India gasping for breath this Christmas weekend.
With tens of thousands of people thronging popular destinations in Himachal Pradesh, visuals of long queues of vehicles on Christmas eve (Sunday) leading to traffic jams and road congestion in Manali have gone viral on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter.)
On Sunday, an estimated 65,000 people in more than 12,000 vehicles crossed the 9.2-kilometre Atal Tunnel, according to police data. Earlier on Saturday, a press release from the Kullu district police said around 5,000-6,000 vehicles entered Manali.
For Himachal, overcrowding by the tourists is an annual occurrence around Christmas and New Year holidays. Every year, the areas of Manali, Kasol and Banjar/Tirthan Valley expect a significant number of vehicular inflow with tourists flocking to holiday destinations to celebrate a ‘White Christmas’. On Saturday, Himachal’s Rohtang received heavy snowfall.
The Kullu police also stated that the high-altitude areas of Manali, including Atal Tunnel and Rohtang, experienced snowfall on Saturday and the temperature dropped below zero.
“On December 23, around 13,000 vehicles crossed ATR and on December 24, around 16,000 vehicles crossed ATR,” the release stated. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “We welcome the tourists who have come in such huge numbers, crossing over lakhs.”
He appreciated the Lahaul & Spiti and Kullu police and said: “I also extend huge applause to the Lahaul & Spiti and Kullu Police for their outstanding dedication in managing a massive influx of 65,000 tourists and 12,000 vehicles at the Rohtang Tunnel, while braving extreme -12°C temperatures. Your tireless efforts and commitment shine through in ensuring a delightful experience for all visitors.”
Meanwhile, the Lahual and Spiti police carried out a drone surveillance at ATR North portal in Sissu in view of the huge number of tourists arriving here on Christmas and ahead of New Year. Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu said “lakhs of tourists” have arrived in the state and appealed to them to prioritise safe travel practices and adhere to traffic rules.