Flood of tourists gathered in the mountains, there was a traffic jam from Manali to Nainital.

New Delhi: A large number of people are moving to the mountains to get relief from the scorching heat in the plains of North India. Record crowds are being seen these days at major tourist and religious places in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The increasing number of tourists has also increased the challenges of local administration.

Hotels at popular destinations like Manali, Rohtang, Nainital, Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, Auli and Joshimath are almost completely full. At the same time, long traffic jams on the roads, lack of parking and crowd management are now becoming big problems.

Speed ​​of vehicles stopping on Manali-Rohtang road

There is a huge gathering of tourists in Manali and Rohtang Pass of Himachal Pradesh. Even in the last days of May, the snowy valleys of Rohtang are attracting people.

The situation is such that there is a jam several kilometers long on the Manali-Rohtang road. While under normal circumstances it would take a few hours to travel a distance of about 50 kilometres, now tourists are finding it takes 7 to 8 hours. Many passengers have to wait for hours in vehicles on the way.

Lack of parking is increasing the problem

According to local tourism businessmen, due to lack of adequate parking arrangements between Madhi and Gramphu, tourists park their vehicles on the roadside. This affects traffic and makes the traffic jam more serious.

Local people believe that the situation can be improved by expanding parking, toilets and other basic facilities.

Tourism season at its peak in Nainital

A huge crowd of tourists is also gathering in the lake city of Nainital of Uttarakhand. There is hustle and bustle throughout the day at Mall Road, Snow View, Zoo, Kew Garden and other major tourist places.

Long queues are forming for boating in Naini Lake. A large number of tourists are seen enjoying boating from morning to evening. The pleasant weather and cool breeze are continuously attracting people.

Hotel and tourism business boomed

The local tourism industry is directly benefiting from the increasing number of tourists. Hotels, guest houses and homestays are operating at almost full capacity.

Hoteliers and restaurant operators say that after a long time such a huge increase in business is being seen. However, due to increasing crowd, traffic pressure on the major routes of the city is also continuously increasing.

Increasing crowd of devotees in Kainchidham

There is a flood of devotees in Kainchidham of Baba Neem Karauli Maharaj also. A large number of devotees are reaching the temple from across the country and abroad.

Long queues are being seen in the temple premises and surrounding areas. In view of the upcoming Foundation Day programs, the crowd is expected to increase further in the coming days.

Pressure increased due to Chardham Yatra, long jam in Joshimath

With the Chardham Yatra reaching its peak, the traffic pressure in Chamoli district and Joshimath area has increased significantly. Long queues of vehicles are forming on the routes leading to Badrinath Dham, Hemkund Sahib, Auli and Niti-Mana Valley.

There is a traffic jam of 15 to 20 kilometers at many places from Marwari to Govindghat and from Joshimath to Selang. Despite the implementation of one-way traffic system, passengers have to wait for hours due to heavy crowd.

The journey continues amidst rain and snowfall

Despite the continuing rain and snowfall in the high altitude areas, the enthusiasm of the devotees and tourists has not diminished.

Lakhs of devotees have visited Badrinath Dham, while the number of pilgrims in Char Dham Yatra is continuously increasing. Despite the adverse weather, a large number of devotees are reaching Hemkund Sahib.

Health related challenges also increased

Health related problems are also coming to light among the passengers arriving in record numbers. After reaching high altitude areas, many people are facing difficulty in breathing, fatigue and other problems.

Experts are advising travelers that before going to high altitude areas, they must spend some time in the lower areas to acclimatize their body to the environment there.

Challenges increased before the administration

Due to the ever increasing number of tourists and devotees, there is additional pressure on systems like traffic management, parking, health services, security and cleanliness.

Experts believe that in view of the increasing crowd in future, the need for permanent parking system, better traffic planning and digital monitoring system may increase further.