Amid social media posts about hours-long traffic jams on Chandigarh-Shimla route, NDTV found the ground situation somewhat different. A traffic police officer said congestion is witnessed only during weekends due to increased tourist inflow. But such jams generally last only 10 to 15 minutes and not for hours as being claimed in some reports.
The tourists agreed.
Ahmedabad-based tourist Sunil Kumar said, "We had seen reels on social media showing huge traffic jams in Shimla, but our experience has been completely different. We did not face any traffic jam from Chandigarh to Shimla and reached here within 3 to 4 hours, which is normal travel time."
"We recently returned from Kufri to Shimla. There was one-way traffic at some places, but it was managed properly," another tourist said.
Odisha-based Ashish Aggarwal said he had a peaceful and comfortable travel experience in Shimla and did not face any major inconvenience.
A senior officer of the Shimla police, Abhishek, told NDTV that some photos and videos of massive traffic jams circulating on social media do not reflect the actual ground situation.
The tourist season is currently at its peak, especially owing to the ongoing heatwave. A large number of tourists are arriving in Shimla every day. From May 1 to May 24, nearly 6.30 lakh vehicles entered and exited Shimla from various routes, including Solan, Bilaspur and Kinnaur sides, Abhishek said.
On the Chandigarh-Solan route alone, around 3.70 lakh vehicles travelled to and from Shimla during the same period. Referring to the previous weekend, he added that nearly 70,000 vehicles entered the city.
But the Shimla Police, he said, has been managing the traffic with several strategies. Explaining these measures, he said 32 bike riders have been deployed across the city. These riders are highly effective as they can respond within seconds to any traffic blockage.
Interceptor vehicles have been deployed inside Shimla to enforce traffic rules and respond quickly whenever needed.
Shimla-based parking lot manager Satish Sharma said although tourists are arriving in large numbers, the situation remains manageable. The traffic police, he said, are efficiently handling the tourist rush.
