Nearly 15 lakh vehicles entered Shimla between May 1 and June 15. To manage the heavy tourist rush during the summer season, the police have put in place a five-point traffic management plan.
A senior police officer said the plan focuses on deploying extra personnel, strengthening surveillance, identifying alternate routes and encouraging people to use public transport.
With schools closed for summer vacations, a large number of tourists are travelling to destinations across Himachal Pradesh. The surge in visitors has led to frequent traffic congestion on highways and local roads.
According to hoteliers, hotels and other tourist accommodations recorded an average occupancy of 60-70 per cent on weekdays last week. The figure increased to 80-90 per cent during weekends.
Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said more than 15 lakh vehicles have entered Shimla in the last 45 days. He said the police have prepared a five-point strategy to manage the increasing traffic pressure. He added that handling tourist traffic becomes easier if traffic bottlenecks within the city are addressed effectively.
The strategy includes deployment of additional police personnel, interceptor vehicles and bike patrol teams. It also involves monitoring by senior officers, use of alternate routes and public awareness campaigns promoting public transport.
The SP said breakdowns of heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks on Cart Road often create major traffic jams. Since the road is narrow, removing stranded vehicles can take time and disrupt traffic movement.
To deal with such situations quickly, three cranes have been stationed at different locations in the town. Singh said five vehicles broke down on Tuesday alone. He also pointed out that private buses stopping at unauthorised locations and unnecessary roadside parking add to congestion.
Under the traffic plan, an additional 210 police personnel, home guards and volunteers have been deployed. Traffic staff have also been posted at key parking areas to manage vehicle movement smoothly.
The number of bike-borne traffic personnel has been increased to 32. These teams can quickly respond to traffic issues. Interceptor vehicles are also being used to monitor violations and enforce traffic rules.
For better traffic management, Shimla city has been divided into five sectors. Each sector is supervised by a gazetted officer responsible for ensuring smooth traffic flow in the assigned area.
Tourists are also being advised to use alternative routes to avoid congestion and save travel time. Visitors heading towards Kufri, Narkanda, Theog and Kinnaur have been asked to take the Shoghi-Mehli bypass.
Officials said the bypass route helps reduce traffic inside the city and cuts travel time. Around 800 vehicles are currently being diverted through this route every day.
Shimla Police is also sharing awareness videos and traffic updates on social media to keep tourists and residents informed. To reduce the number of private vehicles on the roads, larger passenger vehicles and public transport services have been allowed to operate on Cart Road.
Highlighting the success of the plan, SP Singh said no major traffic jams have been reported in Shimla city or nearby areas during the peak tourist season this year. He noted that last year, long traffic snarls were common on roads leading to Shoghi, Kufri, Bilaspur and several parts of Shimla.
While welcoming tourists, Shimla Police has urged visitors and residents to follow traffic rules, use authorised parking spaces and cooperate with traffic advisories to ensure smooth movement across the hill station.
Also read: Rain likely across Himachal till June 23
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