The move comes amid rising tourist footfall at Triund, which attracted around 77,000 trekkers during the 2025-26 financial year. Between April and July this year, the destination saw around 33,000 domestic tourists and 600 foreign nationals.
The growing numbers have added to the challenge of managing plastic waste and other litter along the trail. The department has already installed dustbins at several points and is working to strengthen waste-disposal practices.
In August, it introduced a waste-return system under which trekkers are issued reusable or recyclable garbage bags at the forest department’s check-post at Galu. Visitors must carry back the waste generated during their trek and return the issued bag along with the deposit receipt.
A refundable security deposit of Rs 500 is collected from each trekker and returned after the bag and receipt are submitted to officials at the check-post on the return journey.
Divisional Forest Officer Amit Sharma said the department’s focus was to improve facilities without compromising the mountain ecosystem.
“Our focus is on developing basic amenities for trekkers while ensuring that tourism does not damage the fragile mountain environment. We want to make high-footfall trails under the Dharamsala Forest Circle cleaner and more sustainable, setting an example for other Himalayan regions,” he said.
Triund is one of several trekking destinations under the Dharamsala Forest Circle. Other popular routes include Kareri, Himani Chamunda, Kunjar Mahadev and Palachak. The region also has high-altitude mountain pass treks such as Baleni, Minkiani, Bhimgasutri, Inderhara, Talang, Toral and Jalsu.
The proposed facilities, coupled with stricter waste-management measures, are aimed at making trekking safer and more convenient while reducing the environmental footprint of tourism in the Dhauladhar hills.
