Tourists flock to Shimla as plains turn hotter; 70,000 vehicles reach city in 72 hours

Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: File pic

Tourists are flocking to the key hill destinations in Himachal Pradesh to beat the scorching heat in the plains, with as many as 6,31,000 vehicles reaching Shimla in the past 24 days, including 70,000 in the last 72 hours, officials said.

With the summer tourist season yet to reach its peak, Shimla, the 'Queen of Hills', is already choked with vehicles, leading to frequent traffic jams and prompting police to make a special appeal to tourists to adhere to traffic rules and conduct themselves as responsible citizens.

During the past 24 days, 3,70,000 vehicles reached the state capital from the Chandigarh-Kalka side, while a sizable number was routed via Kinnaur, Bilaspur and Kullu.

The sudden surge in tourist inflow has further compounded the perennial parking problem in Shimla, ASP Abhishek told PTI Videos on Tuesday.

Over the past week, 1,54,450 vehicles entered Shimla, with nearly 70,000 arriving in just the last 72 hours, mounting pressure on the traffic infrastructure, the ASP said.

"In response to the ever-increasing vehicular pressure, special arrangements have been made across the city. Shimla has been divided into five zones and the responsibility to manage traffic has been entrusted to a gazetted officer in each," the officer said.

"Volunteers are also being enlisted to assist in managing traffic, while police are facilitating the use of alternative routes to ease congestion within the city," he said.

Accordingly, vehicles heading to Upper Shimla are being diverted via the Shoghi-Mehli route, the officer said.

Anticipating a further increase in tourist inflow from June, extra police force would be made available after the ongoing panchayat polls are over on May 31, officials said.

Normally, the peak tourist season starts in Himachal in the first week of June, which has been advanced this year due to heatwave-like conditions sweeping large parts of north and western India, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and the capital Delhi.

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