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Gandhi Jayanti Long Weekend Gridlocks Hill Stations: Manali, Shimla, Mussoorie Choked with Tourists
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News18•03-10-2026, 15:52
Gandhi Jayanti Long Weekend Gridlocks Hill Stations: Manali, Shimla, Mussoorie Choked with Tourists
- •Popular hill stations like Manali, Shimla, Mussoorie, and Nainital experienced massive traffic jams and overcrowding during the Gandhi Jayanti long weekend.
- •Viral videos showed bumper-to-bumper traffic, leading to questions about authorities' preparedness for the predictable holiday surge.
- •Journeys that typically take a few hours stretched significantly longer, with some tourists forced to spend nights by roadsides due to scarce accommodation.
- •The situation reignited debates on overcrowding in Indian hill stations, with social media users calling for restrictions on vehicle numbers and improved public transport.
- •Suggestions included building parking hubs in low-lying areas, restricting private vehicles, and advising travelers to avoid popular destinations during long weekends.
Key Questions Answered
Popular hill stations including Manali, Shimla, Mussoorie, and Nainital experienced massive tourist rushes and heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic congestion during the extended holiday break.
Social media users suggested several measures, such as restricting the number of vehicles entering popular mountain destinations, banning private cars beyond bottlenecks, improving public transportation, and building parking hubs in low-lying areas.
The influx of visitors caused packed roads, crowded tourist areas, and hotels reaching full capacity. Additionally, travel times stretched significantly, and some visitors who failed to find rooms were reportedly forced to spend the night by roadsides.
