Heavy traffic clogs Himalayan hill stations as long weekend draws crowds

The long weekend that commenced after the October 2 holiday has triggered a massive influx of visitors to popular Himalayan destinations, resulting in widespread traffic disruptions across multiple routes. The Joshimath-Badrinath pilgrimage route, a key corridor for religious travellers heading to the Badrinath temple, has been particularly affected, with vehicle queues stretching between 7 and 9 kilometres in length.

Travel conditions have deteriorated significantly on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway-5 as well, where kilometre-long traffic jams have become commonplace. Travellers on both routes have been forced to spend extended hours stuck on the roadways, with some reporting delays of several hours to complete journeys that would normally take considerably less time.

The surge in traffic reflects the preference among Indian holidaymakers for hill station destinations during extended weekends. Peak congestion has been recorded on sections connecting major tourist and pilgrimage centres in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as both leisure tourists and religious pilgrims utilise the break to visit these regions.

Authorities have not issued formal advisories regarding traffic management or alternative routes, though the congestion appears set to persist as the extended weekend period continues.