CHANDIGARH: It’s that time of the year when people flock to their favourite destinations in Himachal Pradesh to celebrate a white Christmas and ring in the New Year, resulting in a heavy traffic gridlock on the route.
Atal Tunnel in Rohtang Pass is witnessing a heavy traffic rush with as many as 12,000 vehicles passing through it in a single day on December 23. Also, around 4,000 vehicles bearing the other states’ registration numbers entered Manali in addition to those registered in Himachal Pradesh, as per data available with the local police.
The Atal Tunnel and Sissu areas received fresh snow covering them under a thick blanket of snow.
The police personnel were struggling to regulate the traffic as there was a heavy rush of tourist vehicles on the Manali-Leh highway.Also, long traffic jam on the Bhunter-Manikran road between Kasol and Manikaran gave a tough time to visitors and the police deployed to manage the vehicles.
The Manali Administration will be organizing a winter carnival in Manali from January 2 to 6. A beauty pageant will also be held to pick up the Winter Queen Manali.After witnessing a major dip in the occupancy due to monsoon fury, the hotel industry the hoteliers of Kullu and Manali are elated as room occupancy in hotels surged up to 80 per cent for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Sources said that the state police said they were expecting over one lakh tourist vehicles to roll into the Shimla in the last week of December on the eve of Christmas and New Year. The police personnel were struggling to regulate the traffic following a heavy rush of tourist vehicles on the Manali-Leh highway.