There was a huge traffic jam on the road leading to Manali in Himachal Pradesh, as a large number of tourists flocked to the hilly areas to celebrate Christmas and New Year. Extensive traffic congestion on the roads in the hill state posed major challenges to commuters, with local residents also facing difficulties. Similar traffic jams were observed in many other tourist hotspots leading up to the holidays.
In a video clip published by news agency ANI, vehicles that were on their way to the mountainous areas before Christmas Eve were captured in a massive traffic jam. Several videos have surfaced on social media, detailing how long users have been stuck in traffic, and showing vehicles piling up one by one.
Wrap up last year and get ready for 2024 with HT! click here
One X user expressed his frustration, saying, “Stuck on Manali to Atal tunnel road for 5 hours where is the traffic police and what is the administration doing.” The user shared a video depicting the traffic gridlock.
Another person said: “Coming to #Manali, this is a huge crowded situation. We came just before Christmas weekends hence we didn’t face any such bottlenecks. This will be the situation for the next few days. “Plan accordingly” while Returning from Manali and viewing long queues of stuck vehicles.
Moreover, a user shared a video on Google Maps showing congestion along the wide road that includes Solang Valley, Atal Tunnel and other areas of Manali, saying, “Saw a lot of posts about traffic congestion in Manali today. Happened to check it out on Google Maps.” “The situation is really bad. I hope it will clear up soon.”
Speaking about the long wait for tourist vehicles, another user commented, “After a few years, the natives of Manali and Shimla will have to go to other places for weekends and holidays.”
Christmas, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, is a globally recognized annual festival celebrated on December 25 for its religious and cultural significance.
Meanwhile, the Atal Tunnel in Rohtang Pass witnessed fresh snowfall on Saturday. The Atal Tunnel, an engineering marvel located in the Himalayas, forms a highway tunnel constructed under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal mountain range. Located on the Leh-Manali Expressway in Himachal Pradesh, it has the distinction of being the longest single-tube highway tunnel located at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, according to the official website of the Border Roads Organisation.
Traffic is disrupted in other tourist areas before the New Year
For Christmas and New Year holidays, people are also heading to other tourist hotspots like Mysuru and Kodagu in Karnataka, causing huge traffic congestion at toll tolls and other places.
Sharing a video of gridlocked traffic at a toll booth on Saturday along the Bengaluru Expressway in Mysuru, the Traffic leading to Mysuru on Bengaluru Expressway is snarled with heavy traffic.Kodagu entry points are also facing traffic jams of up to 2 km.
Another X account called ‘Kodagu Connect’ shared a 20-second video showing a long line of vehicles at the entry point of the tourist spot. “Kodagu is a stress-free haven?” The account noted.
Severe traffic congestion also plagued roads from Mumbai to Pune, Mahabaleshwar and Goa, particularly around Lonavala Ghat, as travelers filed in for vacations.
