The Newz Radar
MANDI: A record 28,210 vehicles transporting over 1.5 lakh people crossed the Atal Tunnel, located below Rohtang Pass near famous tourist town Manali in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, over the past 24 hours, according to the Kullu district police.
The police said it was the highest-ever number of vehicles that crossed the tunnel in a day. Of the 28,210 vehicles, 14,865 vehicles crossed from Manali towards Sissu while 13,345 vehicles travelled in the opposite direction. The maximum number of traffic recorded for a single day was on December 26, 2022, which was 19,383. This is also the highest number for any day since the tunnel was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 3, 2020. “The record movement of vehicles may cause jams and, therefore, you all are urged to follow the traffic rules. Parking your vehicles responsibly,” said the police in a statement.
About 12,000 vehicles had traversed the Atal Tunnel on December 23. Extensive traffic congestion was observed on the national highway from Mandi to Kullu and further to Manali throughout the day. After enduring a five-month lull following massive floods and destruction, the Kullu and Manali valleys are now in the spotlight for Christmas and New Year, bringing joy to those associated with the hospitality industry.
Hotels have received bookings for Christmas well in advance. The social media is inundated with scenes of long traffic jams on the Manali-Atal Tunnel highway as tourists hurried to witness snowfall on the other side of the tunnel in Sissu and Koksar.
All large and small hotels, guest houses, homestays and resorts in Manali are packed to capacity until December 26. Most of them are adorned for Christmas celebrations, with special arrangements made for visitors. Cultural programmes and DJ nights are scheduled in hotels and cafes to entertain tourists, accompanied by bonfires amid the bone-chilling weather.
The famous Mall Road of the tourist town is once again filled to capacity, resounding with the sounds of tourists. It is reported that some Bollywood directors were in direct contact with top hoteliers to ensure rooms were booked whenever snowfall graced the city.
Nakul Khullar, owner of five-star Baragarh Resort in Manali, mentioned that several prominent names from the industry were ready to arrive the moment snow covered the valley in its white blanket.
Inder Thakur, a hotelier, shared that his unit was booked until December 26, with more reservations pouring in for the New Year. Ritesh Sood, owner of luxury resort Shivadhya, stated that his property was sold out until the New Year and beyond, expecting a prosperous winter season if snow arrived in Manali soon.
Binay, a café owner, said, “We experienced a prolonged lean period this year, and this surge should at least continue for the next few weeks so that we can cover our expenses.” However, most hoteliers do not appear content with the massive influx of tourists, claiming that they are not getting favourable rates for their rooms despite the heavy influx.
Ajay Abrol, owner of Woodstock Inn in Manali, lamented that leaseholders drastically reduced room rates in their properties as their contracts were ending this December. “They sell rooms at the lowest rates to attract the maximum number of guests, which we cannot do as we have to cover several overhead and running expenses,” he lamented, adding that this results in a distress sale of rooms at lower prices.
Gajinder Thakur, President of the Federation of Himachal Hotels and Restaurants Association, conveyed to TNR that it was a joyous moment for everyone as tourists have finally returned to Manali after months of negative publicity. “We need to maintain the momentum by providing the best services to guests at the best rates,” he suggested.
The Lahaul valley, which remained concealed for many years due to the formidable Rohtang Pass as a significant obstacle, has suddenly gained momentum since the Himalayan engineering marvel, Atal Tunnel, came into existence three years ago in 2020. It has opened the doors to new tourism vistas in the Lahaul valley, with thousands of tourists visiting Sissu, Keylong, Udaipur and Darcha throughout the year.
Meanwhile, the Mandi police, having awakened to the gravity of the situation caused by a seven-hour traffic jam near Pandoh on December 23, have deployed 36 traffic personnel between Pandoh and Hanogi on the Mandi-Manali National Highway to ensure the smooth movement of traffic.
