15 lakh vehicles enter Shimla in 45 days, 5-point traffic strategy to tackle summer rush

Around 15 lakh vehicles entered Shimla between May 1 and June 15, with police adopting a five-point strategy to tackle the summer tourist-rush.

With schools closing for summer holidays, tourists are making a beeline for destinations across Himachal Pradesh. The heavy tourist influx has sparked frequent traffic jams along the highways and link-roads.

According to hoteliers, average occupancy at tourist accommodations across Himachal Pradesh last week stood at 60-70 per cent during weekdays, rising to 80-90 per cent on the weekend.

“Over 15 lakh vehicles have entered Shimla in the past 45 days and police have come up with a five-point strategy to deal with the rush,” Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh told PTI.

He said managing the tourist influx is not a problem if internal bottlenecks are addressed.

The strategy includes deployment of additional force, interceptors and bike-borne personnel for traffic regulation, monitoring by gazetted officers, use of alternative roads, encouraging public transport and creating awareness.

However, malfunctioning of heavy vehicles such as buses or trucks on the Cart Road, the lifeline of the hill town, remains a major issue as it often causes long traffic jams. Bringing in a crane on a single-lane road to tow away the impaired vehicle is a time-consuming process, Singh said.

He said three cranes have been stationed in different sectors to swiftly handle such situations.

Five vehicles had broken down on Tuesday, he said, adding that private buses stopping at unauthorised points often impede traffic flow. Idle parking is another issue which is being dealt with.

The traffic management strategy includes deployment of an additional 210 police personnel and home guards, besides volunteers. Traffic cops have also been deployed at major parking sites to ensure smooth entry and exit of vehicles, and prevent congestion.

The number of bike-borne traffic personnel has been increased to 32 for rapid response to traffic-related situations. Interceptor vehicles are being operated in several areas to enforce traffic regulations, and ensure swift action against violations.

Shimla city has been divided into five sectors to ensure better monitoring and regulation of traffic. Each sector has been assigned to a gazetted officer whose primary responsibility is to ensure smooth movement of traffic within the respective sector.

Moreover, tourists are being encouraged to use alternative routes to save time and reduce congestion within the city. Travellers heading towards Kufri, Narkanda, Theog and Kinnaur have been advised to use the Shoghi-Mehli bypass route.

Use of the route reduces traffic pressure within the city and saves travel time, the official said, adding that at present, around 800 vehicles are being diverted through the bypass route every day.

Shimla Police is also creating and sharing awareness and educational videos on social media platforms to provide traffic-related information to tourists and the public.

To encourage use of public transport, large vehicles such as Traveller and other public transport have been permitted to operate on Cart Road to reduce reliance on private vehicles and ease congestion.

Shimla Police, while extending a warm welcome to tourists, has appealed to visitors and residents alike to follow traffic regulations, use designated parking areas and adhere to alternative routes to ensure smooth traffic flow in the tourist hotspot.