A massive traffic gridlock occurred on the route leading to Manali in Himachal Pradesh as a considerable influx of tourists flocked to the hilly regions for Christmas and New Year celebrations. The extensive traffic congestion on the hill state’s roads posed considerable challenges for commuters, with local residents also encountering difficulties. Similar traffic jams were observed in various other tourism hotspots leading up to the holidays.
In a video shared by news agency ANI, vehicles en route to the hilly regions before Christmas Eve were depicted trapped in an extensive traffic snarl. Numerous social media videos surfaced, detailing the duration users had been stalled in the traffic, showcasing vehicles piled up one after the other.
An X user expressed their frustration, saying, “Stuck on Manali to Atal tunnel road since 5 hours where is the traffic police and what the administration is doing.”The user shared a video portraying the traffic deadlock.
Another individual shared, “Going to #Manali , this is the status huge huge jams. We came just before Christmas weekends hence didnt face any such jams. This will be the status for coming few days. Plan accordingly” while returning from Manali and exhibiting long queues of stranded vehicles.
Furthermore, a user shared a Google Maps video exhibiting the congestion along the extensive route encompassing Solang Valley, Atal Tunnel, and other Manali areas, saying, “Saw lots of posts about Manali traffic jam today. Happened to check it on google maps. Situation is really bad. Hope it gets clear soon.”
Addressing the prolonged wait of tourist vehicles, another user remarked, “After few years, native people of Manali and Shimla will have to go to other places for weekend getaways and holidays..”
Christmas, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, is a globally recognised annual festival celebrated on December 25 for its religious and cultural significance.
Meanwhile, the Atal Tunnel at Rohtang Pass experienced fresh snowfall on Saturday. The Atal Tunnel, a remarkable engineering feat nestled in the Himalayas, constitutes a highway tunnel constructed beneath the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal range. Positioned on the Leh-Manali Highway in Himachal Pradesh, it holds the distinction of being the lengthiest single-tube highway tunnel situated above 10,000 feet, according to the official website of the Border Roads Organisation.
Traffic snarls in other tourist hotspots ahead of New Year
To spend the Christmas and New Year holidays, people are also heading to other tourist hotspots like Mysuru and Kodagu in Karnataka, causing significant traffic congestion at the tolls and elsewhere.
Sharing a video of the traffic snarl at the toll booth on Saturday along the Bengaluru Highway in Mysuru, an X account under the name ‘Star Of Mysore’ wrote, “Thousands of tourists are visiting Mysuru and Kodagu to spend Christmas and New Year holidays. The scenes at toll booths leading to Mysuru on the Bengaluru Highway are choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Also, Kodagu’s entry points face traffic snarls up to two kilometres.”
Another X account named ‘Kodagu Connect’ shared a 20-second video displaying the long line of vehicles at the tourist place’s entry point. “Kodagu is a stress-free getaway?” noted the account.
Heavy traffic congestion also plagued the routes spanning from Mumbai to Pune, Mahabaleshwar, and Goa, notably around Lonavala Ghat, as holiday travellers surged ahead.
