Shimla
Shimla’s breathtaking white cover on Friday’s brought joy to tourists and residents alike, but the charm quickly turned into chaos. Even after two days, normal life in the state capital has not fully returned, with traffic and daily movement still badly affected.
Several roads in Shimla and surrounding areas remain partially blocked. The Shimla–Kufri route is still covered in thick layers of snow, forcing vehicles to stop and making travel risky due to slippery conditions.
Tourist Rush Adds to the Mess
On Sunday, being a holiday, Shimla saw a huge influx of tourists from Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi. Most visitors arrived in private vehicles, increasing pressure on the limited routes that were open.
Massive Jams Across the City
From early Sunday morning, long traffic jams were reported in key areas including Chhota Shimla, Khalini, Kasumpti, Sanjauli, BCS, Chakkar Crossing, and Victory Tunnel. In many places, commuters took 30 minutes to an hour just to travel one kilometre. The congestion caused major stress, and some people even left their vehicles behind and continued on foot.
Solan to Shimla Journey Doubles
The usual one-and-a-half-hour drive from Solan to Shimla is now taking over three hours. Travellers said the Shoghi to Shimla stretch also took three to four hours due to traffic and poor road conditions.
Kufri Cut Off, Tourism Takes a Hit
Vehicles are unable to move beyond certain points on the Shimla–Kufri road because of heavy snow buildup. Many cars remain stuck, worsening traffic snarls and stopping tourists from reaching Kufri, one of Himachal’s most popular tourist hotspots.
Several tourists who had already booked hotels in Kufri are stranded, leaving hotel owners, taxi operators, and tourism businesses worried about losses. Kufri tourism stakeholders DC Sharma and Yogesh alleged that even after three days, enough snow-clearing machines have not been deployed, calling it a serious lapse in management.
Tourists Enjoy Snow, But Suffer Delays
Sameer Wadhwa, a tourist from Chandigarh, said it took him nearly two hours to reach Shimla from Shoghi. Though he enjoyed witnessing snowfall, he could not reach Kufri due to road closures and said traffic mismanagement spoiled the experience.
Administration on the Ground
The administration has said it is working on a war footing to bring the situation back to normal. Municipal Corporation and Public Works Department (PWD) teams are using JCB machines to clear snow and frost from roads.
PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh stated that Himachal has witnessed good snowfall this year, leaving hundreds of roads blocked. He added that restoration efforts are ongoing and machinery has been deployed at key points to reopen routes quickly and reduce public inconvenience.
Residents and tourism stakeholders have appealed to the administration to restore roads at the earliest, saying timely snow clearance is crucial not only for tourism but also for the daily life of locals.
