Festive Rush Creates Traffic Chaos Across India: Himachal Pradesh, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and Bengaluru Grapple with Jams

As the Christmas and New Year celebrations lure travelers to their favorite destinations, the surge in tourist influx has led to significant traffic woes in various parts of India. Over the past few days, more than 65,000 tourists, arriving in over 12,000 vehicles, flocked to popular Himachal Pradesh areas such as Manali, Shimla, and Kullu. Unfortunately, the festive spirit was dampened as visitors faced long traffic snarls upon reaching their destinations.

Social media platforms buzzed with visuals of tourists, initially seeking tranquility in the mountains, finding themselves stuck in hours-long traffic jams in Himachal Pradesh. The government anticipates over one lakh tourists during the Christmas and New Year period, prompting special arrangements by the administration.

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Bengaluru also witnessed traffic turmoil as people embarked on trips for the three-day Christmas weekend. Thousands of travelers from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane headed towards Pune, Lonavala, and Khandala using the expressway, resulting in extensive traffic jams, breakdowns, and delays, particularly around Borghat.

In Bengaluru, areas near Orion Mall in Rajajinagar, Phoenix Marketcity in Mahadevapura, and Phoenix Mall of Asia in Byatarayanapura experienced substantial traffic congestion as the city grappled with a surge in visitors. Similarly, Chennai faced traffic delays in locations like Koyembedu and Anna Nagar, impacting those heading home for Christmas celebrations.

Despite the traffic chaos in specific regions, Mumbai city maintained normalcy during the festive weekend. The influx of celebratory crowds highlights the need for careful planning and coordination to manage the increased vehicular movement during the holiday season.