Nationwide Hill Station Gridlock
Massive weekend tourist surges create severe traffic gridlock across multiple hill destinations nationwide.
Anonymous
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On the Kalka–Shimla highway, a trip that usually takes three-and-a-half to four hours took several additional hours; the gridlock also affected local residents and vehicles providing essential services.
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Between Joshimath and Marwari, pilgrims faced a roughly seven-kilometre jam and took one to three hours to cover the stretch. The report also raised safety concerns after some vehicles were seen moving close to the road’s edge.
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On the Mussoorie–Dehradun road, a damaged section at Pani Wala Bend narrowed the route to one-way movement, contributing to queues of about four to five kilometres. A PWD official said repairs would take more time.
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In Coimbatore, passengers said they waited for hours at the Saibaba Colony bus stand for Nilgiris-bound buses and complained that transport corporations had not provided enough services for the long weekend.
Hill destinations across India faced severe traffic jams over an extended weekend as tourists and pilgrims flooded popular routes. Tribune India reported that 16,000 vehicles entered Shimla and 7,000 reached Manali in a single day, causing hour-long delays on major highways. Congestion also hit Uttarakhand's Mussoorie and Tamil Nadu's Nilgiri hills, with some stretches taking three times longer than normal to traverse.
Damaged roads, illegal parking and inadequate traffic management compounded the gridlock. A PWD official confirmed that repairs to a narrowed section on the Mussoorie–Dehradun road would take additional time, leaving backups of four to five kilometers. Bus services also struggled to keep pace, leaving passengers waiting hours at transport stands for available seats.
Shimla Highway Crawls Under Tourist Surge
The Kalka–Shimla highway, normally a three-and-a-half to four-hour drive, saw vehicles taking several additional hours to complete the route. Tribune India reported that 7,000 vehicles entered Himachal through the Parwanoo-Solan highway during the long weekend alone. The congestion disrupted deliveries of essential goods and stranded local residents trying to reach work or medical appointments.
Warm and partly cloudy weather in Himachal Pradesh drew thousands of tourists from neighbouring states, with popular stops like Shimla, Kufri and Fagu becoming destination bottlenecks. Himachal Scape noted that the monsoon season's end accelerated visitor arrivals, overwhelming traffic management systems designed for normal seasonal flows.
Pilgrims Face Seven-Kilometre Queue on Mountain Route
The Joshimath–Marwari pilgrimage route experienced a roughly seven-kilometre jam, forcing pilgrims to spend one to three hours covering a stretch that normally takes much less time. The congestion raised safety concerns after observers spotted vehicles moving dangerously close to the road's edge. Limited passing opportunities and steep terrain made it impossible for traffic officers to manage flow efficiently.
Newsable reported that the pilgrimage town of Rishikesh also experienced heavy influx of tourists and pilgrims over the weekend, with traffic congestion spreading across several key routes including portions of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The narrow mountain roads were never designed for this volume of simultaneous vehicular movement.
Damaged Roads Worsen Bottlenecks in Uttarakhand
A damaged section at Pani Wala Bend on the Mussoorie–Dehradun road narrowed the highway to one-way movement, creating backups stretching four to five kilometres. A Public Works Department official stated that repairs would require more time, meaning temporary bottlenecks will persist. The single-lane arrangement forced vehicles to take turns moving through the damaged section, dramatically slowing overall traffic flow.
Bus Services Overwhelmed, Passengers Left Stranded
In Tamil Nadu's Nilgiri region, the Coimbatore Saibaba Colony bus stand saw passengers waiting hours for Nilgiris-bound buses on Ooty, Coonoor and Valparai routes. Commuters complained that state transport corporations failed to add enough service frequency for the long weekend surge. Regular schedules fell apart as buses sat parked waiting for diesel and drivers to rotate through breaks.
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