Planning a New Year Trip to Lonavala? Two Key Tourist Spots Closed Due to Heavy Traffic
Planning a New Year Trip to Lonavala? Two Key Tourist Spots Closed Due to Heavy Traffic
Pune, December 30: As Christmas and New Year holidays fall back-to-back this year, tourist movement towards popular hill stations has surged sharply. Lonavala and Khandala, favoured for their pleasant December weather, are witnessing an unprecedented rush from Pune, Mumbai and nearby regions, leading to severe traffic congestion on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway.
With long queues of vehicles reported over the past few days, managing the swelling crowd has become challenging for the administration. In view of safety concerns and traffic control, the Forest Department has announced the temporary closure of two major tourist attractions—Lions Point and Tiger Point. Both spots will remain closed to tourists on December 31 and January 1, dealing a blow to many New Year travel plans.
Meanwhile, traffic snarls on the expressway have intensified since Sunday. To ease congestion, highway police have imposed temporary restrictions on heavy vehicles, while certain routes were completely shut for brief periods. Tourists travelling towards Lonavala and Khandala were stuck for hours, and authorities have warned that the situation could worsen as New Year’s Eve approaches.
Hotels, resorts and private bungalows in Lonavala are already fully booked. Other popular locations such as Bhushi Dam, Rajmachi Garden, Duke’s Nose, and Karla–Bhaje caves are also seeing heavy footfall. Police have issued advisories and implemented special arrangements to ensure crowd management and public safety during New Year celebrations.
